Briefcase

Object Details

Undetermined artist

Label Text

Artists in several African countries have appropriated and reinvented the iconic form of the stylish, slim briefcase. Made from discarded sheets of aluminum soda cans and mass-produced grocery containers and then lined with comics, these briefcases are fun, eye-catching and ironic. Crafted from discarded materials rather than leather and fine cloth, the use of industrial goods reinforces the message contained in these symbols of modernization.

Description

Red recycled metal (tomato paste cans) briefcase lined with comics

Exhibition History

Pavilion: A New Look, National Museum of African Art, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C., October 9, 2019–ongoing

Content Statement

As part of our commitment to accessibility and transparency, the Smithsonian National Museum of African Art is placing its collection records online. Please note that some records are incomplete (missing image or content descriptions) and others reflect out-of-date language or systems of thought regarding how to engage with and discuss cultural heritage and the specifics of individual artworks. If you see content requiring immediate action, we will do our best to address it in a timely manner. Please email nmafacuratorial@si.edu if you have any questions.

Image Requests

High resolution digital images are not available for some objects. For publication quality photography and permissions, please contact the Eliot Elisofon Photographic Archives at https://africa.si.edu/research/eliot-elisofon-photographic-archives/

Credit Line

The Wil and Irene Petty Collection

Object number

2008-5-36

Restrictions & Rights

Usage conditions apply

Type

Sculpture

Medium

Metal, paper, ink, plastic

Dimensions

H x W x D: 31.8 × 8.7 × 38 cm (12 1/2 × 3 7/16 × 14 15/16 in.)

Geography

Dakar, Senegal

See more items in

National Museum of African Art Collection

On View

NMAfA, Pavilion Gallery

National Museum of African Art

Topic

Writing

female

Record ID

nmafa_2008-5-36

Metadata Usage (text)

Not determined

GUID (Link to Original Record)

http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ys7898659b9-e776-46f1-99b6-ab64ec236c48