Numbering over 500 objects, the Justin and Elisabeth Lang Collection of African Art ranks among Canada’s most comprehensive. Comprised primarily of works by West and Central African artists, the collection emphasizes series that articulate the creative variety and dynamism found among objects of similar purpose. Often conceived as part of larger ensembles that included costuming and performance, the function and meaning of these works are changed in museum display as they are presented to audiences unanticipated by their creators.
Above: Helmet Mask (Sowei or Ndoli Jowei), Mende peoples, Liberia/Sierra Leone, 20th century, wood. Gift of Justin and Elisabeth Lang, 1984 (M84-144). Photo: Synthescape