Poets and Fetters

Object Details

Bruce Onobrakpeya, born 1932, Nigeria

Series

5/75

Label Text

This body of work was designed to illustrate "Africa: On Her Schedule Is Written a Change," a book of poems by Barbara Haegar (Ibadan: African Universities Press, 1981). Many of these poems coupled with Onobrakpeya's visual renderings address the complex, tumultuous history of political fortunes and movements in post-independence Africa. They often highlight problems of corruption, despotism and the disabling legacies of colonial domination.

This work tells of the harassment and censorship directed toward Africa's poets, playwrights, musicians and visual artists at the hands of corrupt authorities.

Description

Etching of a grid background with a figure playing a guitar and a very large mask with a lock on its mouth in the foreground. There is a title and signature along the bottom of the composition: "5/75 Poets and Fetters - Deep Etching - Bruce Onobrakpeya, Lagos, Sept, 1980."

Lagos, Sept, 1980."

Provenance

Warren Robbins, Washington, D.C. -- to 1991

Exhibition History

Encounters with the Contemporary, National Museum of African Art, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C., January 7, 2001-January 6, 2002

Published References

Haeger, Barbara and Bruce Onobrakpeya. 1981. Africa: On Her Schedule is Written a Change. Ibadan: African Universities Press, p. 44 and cover.

Content Statement

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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

Gift of Warren M. Robbins

1980

Object number

91-11-8

Restrictions & Rights

Usage conditions apply

Copyright

© 1980 Bruce Onobrakpeya

Type

Print

Medium

Deep etching on paper

Dimensions

H x W x D (matted): 52.1 × 36.8 cm (20 1/2 × 14 1/2 in.)

H x W x D (folio sheet): 39.4 × 26.7 cm (15 1/2 × 10 1/2 in.)

Other (image): 30.5 × 19.4 cm (12 × 7 5/8 in.)

H x W x D (unfolded sheet): 39 × 52.3 cm (15 3/8 × 20 9/16 in.)

Geography

Nigeria

See more items in

National Museum of African Art Collection

National Museum of African Art

Topic

musical instrument

mask

Record ID

nmafa_91-11-8

Metadata Usage (text)

Usage conditions apply

GUID (Link to Original Record)

http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ys7c87fe3ae-cd79-4ad0-b753-c1262bb3132b