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Untitled

African Art Museum

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International media Interoperability Framework
IIIF provides researchers rich metadata and media viewing options for comparison of works across cultural heritage collections. Visit the IIIF page to learn more.
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Object Details

Maker

Garth Erasmus, born 1956, South Africa

Label Text

This work was inspired by the death of Erasmus' father. The artist applied layers of color with acrylic onto a board, then added a final layer with black crayon. Scratching off the various layers to create skulls, figures and some inscriptions may have been a form of meditation for the artist.

Description

Untitled painting with a sun, human and X figues.

Exhibition History

African Cosmos: Stellar Arts, National Museum of African Art, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C., June 20-December 9, 2012; Newark Museum, February 26-August 11, 2013; Los Angeles County Museum of Art, August 23-November 30, 2014; Michael C. Carlos Museum at Emory University, Atlanta, January 31-June 21, 2015 (exhibited at NMAfA)
Encounters with the Contemporary, National Museum of African Art, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C., January 7, 2001-January 6, 2002

Published References

Kreamer, Christine Mullen. 2012. African Cosmos: Stellar Arts. Washington, D.C.: National Museum of African Art, Smithsonian Institution; New York: Monacelli Press, pp. 300-301, no. 17.1.

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 Please note that some records are incomplete (missing image or content descriptions) and others reflect out-of-date language or systems of thought regarding how to engage with and discuss cultural heritage and the specifics of individual artworks.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

Gift of Lee Lorenz in memory of Philip L. Ravenhill

Date

1996

Object number

97-23-2

Restrictions & Rights

Usage conditions apply

Type

Painting

Medium

Acrylic and crayon on paper

Dimensions

H x W: 29.5 x 21.0 cm (11 5/8 x 8 1/4 in.)

Geography

South Africa

See more items in

National Museum of African Art Collection

Data Source

National Museum of African Art

Metadata Usage

Usage conditions apply

Link to Original Record

http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ys7c01cdd68-3342-4188-9778-e9afbe49497b

Record ID

nmafa_97-23-2

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