Material Journeys: Collecting African And Oceanic Art

Collector Geneviève McMillan was born in the French Pyrenees and studied Political Science in Paris during World War II. She was intrigued by the beauty of African and Oceanic sculpture in the galleries of the famous Rive Gauche district.

This was the beginning of McMillan's lifelong passion for African and Oceanic art. In 1946, she moved to the United States with several pieces--the core of a collection that now comprises more than 1500 objects.

This exhibition, featuring over 100 selections from her collection, focuses on objects created by artists in workshop settings in Africa and the Pacific. It also illuminates the processes of production, trade, changing taste, and collecting of objects from Africa and Oceania in the second half of the 20th century.

The picture shows Reliquary figure (mbulu ngulu), early 20th century, the author is unknown.

The exhibition runs from March 20 to September 2, 2007 at Japanese Painting Galleries. -- www.mfa.org