One of the first projects I remember working on at the museum was briefly helping with was “Iyare!” – a fascinating exhibit of African material from Benin – and one of the most-eye catching pieces in the exhibit was this intricate plaque. The bronze plaques from the 16th Century Nigerian kingdom have long amazed people [...]
Back in January 2012, local hip hop artists visited the African, Egyptian, and Imagine Africa galleries at the Penn Museum to draw musical (and lyrical) inspiration from the African art and artifacts. The artists, selected by local hip hop radio DJ, Zachariah Hardin aka T.H.E., include godHead The General, Magnum O, Darian The Great, KNomadz, [...]
On Monday, January 9th, local hip hop artists visited the African, Egyptian, and Imagine Africa galleries. The artists, selected by local hip hop radio DJ, Zachariah Hardin, were at the Penn Museum to draw inspiration for their music from the African art and artifacts. WHYY’s Newsworks.org reported on the event in their article At Penn [...]
Imagine Africa media sponsor WDAS has been out in the community talking up the Imagine Africa project. In November, the WDAS street team was out at the Universal Circus. Look for the WDAS team out in the community this winter and spring!
19th Century Nail Figures from Zaire. Nkisi N’kondi, Nail Figures, Lower Zaire River Region, Zaire (Kongo), 19th century. Penn Museum Object #s 30-46-2, AF 5361, AF 3684. Meet the Nkisi Nkondi. These sacred items were carved by the people of the Congo, and used for protecting the village, fighting evil spirits, settling disputes, and sealing agreements. [...]
Ambassadors from several African and Caribbean countries joined with Philadelphia area regional business leaders Friday, November 11, 2011, when the Penn Museum was host to a business roundtable discussion presented by the African and Caribbean Business Council (ACBC). The program ran throughout the morning, concluding with an African-style luncheon in the Museum’s Lower Egyptian Gallery, [...]
Imagine Africa Community Night, a set on Flickr. Heart-warming photos from our last Imagine Africa Community Night… Which one is your favorite? Recognize anyone? This is my favorite: Dancing at Community Night
Well known African musician Oumou Sangaré performs LIVE at the Penn Museum Saturday November 12 at 8 pm. The Museum’s African Gallery and the “Imagine Africa with the Penn Museum” gallery project remain open from 6:00 pm to 7:45 pm. Tickets: $40 general admission, in advance and at the door.Students with Penncards, $20. For ticket information: [...]
Penn Museum held its first Imagine Africa Community Night, sponsored by Councilwoman Jannie L. Blackwell—and more than 500 people came out to dance, drum, listen to spoken word poetry, tour the Museum’s new Imagine Africa gallery project and visit throughout the galleries. In addition to the live entertainment and workshops, the night featured a craft [...]
Ostrich eggshells have had a long history in the art and commerce of Africa. Back in 1987, David Conwell from Penn’s Classical Archaeology department published an article in the Penn Museum Expedition Journal about the implications about Libyan trade drawn from analysis of ostrich eggshell fragments. Conwell suggests that the shell fragments give us a [...]
