Man Carrying an Executioner's Sword c. 20th century

This is Kwaku Benpoh's "Man Carrying an Executioner's Sword." It's a wooden sculpture, and look at how he approached carving the figure - there's a real focus on line and form. The wood is dark, giving it a solemn feel. The surface isn't perfectly smooth; you can see the marks where Benpoh worked the material, so it's a real testament to his process. Check out the man's neck, how the lines create the appearance of stacked coils. The sword is flat but has these carefully carved-out shapes, making it look less menacing and more like an offering. You can see echoes of African masks or other figurative sculpture, but Benpoh brings his own vision to it. It feels very direct and personal, like he's inviting us to think about power, responsibility, and the stories we tell through objects. It's this combination of familiarity and strangeness that makes art so compelling.