Plaque c. mid 20th century

This tall Plaque was made by an Abelam artist, and is a real testament to working with the limitations of the material, finding out its breaking point, and making something new. It’s got a distinctive palette, this one: earthy tones with pops of yellow and white. Look at how the artist created the repeated figures. The way they connect is pretty cool—sort of a head-to-head, stacked situation. I wonder what the artist was thinking while they were making this? Was it a ceremonial object? Did they use stencils to achieve those repeated figures, or was it all done freehand? I’m interested in the textural qualities too, how the paint seems built up in layers, with thin washes. Like all artists, the Abelam artist was in conversation with other artists in their community, responding to what had come before while pushing the boundaries of their own practice. This embodies the ambiguities that make painting such an enduring and compelling form of expression.