Dynasty and Divinity:

Ife Art in Ancient Nigeria presents an in-depth view of the extraordinary corpus of ancient art from the kingdom of Ife. Astonishing works of art were made in Ife (pronounced EE-fay), located in what is now southwestern Nigeria, from the 9th to 15th centuries. This major exhibition brings to Houston more than 100 works, most never before displayed outside Nigeria.

Masterpieces include a series of 30 lifelike sculptures in copper alloy that represent Ife´s legendary past rulers, who were the forebears of the present king, or ooni, of the still-bustling modern-day metropolis of Ife. A complete royal figure, wearing beaded garments and regalia; a mask made of pure copper; and the famed Tada figure were all produced with the lost-wax metal-casting technique. Along with the world-renowned Ife terra-cotta heads—astounding in detail, sensitivity, and beauty—these sculptures have been compared to the finest portraits of the classical ancient world of Greece and Rome.

The MFAH has the distinction of being the first American venue for this exhibition, which will open in Houston just as Nigeria celebrates the 50th anniversary of its independence on October 1, 1960.

"Shows like this come along once in a lifetime." —Telegraph.co.uk

Here is the link. . . .

http://www.mfah.org/exhibition.asp?par1=1&par2=1&par3=671&par4=1&par5=1&par6=1&par7=&lgc=4&eid=&currentPage=


To the children of Oduduwa, here is an opportunity to set correction to Museum of Art, Houston in Texas. Look at the caption above, go visit the site and see what they are talking about. There are couple of things wrong with the narratives and the exhibition.

First, there is no place called ancient Nigeria. Nigeria at 50yrs old is not ancient; and if we add another 100yrs to give credit for the amlgamation of North and South region, it is still not qualified as ancient. This is deliberate mud rub in the face. The proper wording should have been ancient Yoruba Kingdom.

Second, the word Yoruba is totally omitted in the entire caption - no where is any reference at all to the national culture or root of the art. Why is Nigerian embassy acquiescing to the insult?

Third, comparing them to ancient Greece and Rome is discrediting. The art knowledge itself is older than those two civilizations. World civilization did not start at Europe. . . . it started with Babylon. The first King to sit on the throne of Ife was a direct descendant of Lamurudu (Nimrod), the founder of Babylon. Ife itself is the equivalent of Epher (Biblical). Oranmiyan, one of his descendants is a Babylonian name, in fact there was a city in old Iran called Oramiyeh. There was a King in Old Babylon called Dudu.

Lastly, the image if the exhibited figures are of mix genealogy, not completely negroid. This would establish mixed ancestry. . . possibly a Negroid and another racial type. What is that other race type?