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Distributed for Hirmer Publishers

Vodun

African Voodoo

Distributed for Hirmer Publishers

Vodun

African Voodoo

Unveiling for the first time an exceptional group of voodoo sculptures from the West African nations of Benin and Togo, this volume brings together nearly one hundred bocio—small fetishistic figurines—from the collection of the renowned African primitive art collectors Anne and Jacques Kerchache. Anthropomorphic sculptures made of wood, textile, bone, string, and shell, many of these bocio were used for protection, healing, and to inflict harm on enemies, imbuing them with a meaning that adds to their physical appeal. In addition to two hundred newly commissioned photographs by Yuji Ono showing the mystery and beauty of these works, a series of personal photographs and texts throughout illustrate the Kerchaches’ passion for African statuary. Published in tandem with the first major exhibition devoted uniquely to the vodun arts, Vodun includes contributions by, among others, Suzanne Preston Blier, Gabin Djimassé, Marc Augé, and Patrick Vilaire.


236 pages | 124 color plates, 74 halftones | 9 1/2 x 12 1/2 | © 2011

Art: Photography

Culture Studies


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Table of Contents

Combined French/English Edition

Jacques Kerchache and Vodun
Vodun Art
Vodun from Benin
The Bocio Figure and Its Symbolic Environment
An Initiatory Journey
Annotated Works
Vodun Symbolism
      Jacques Kerchache
Vodun: The Anne and Jacques Kerchache Collection
      Photographs by Yuji Ono
Perspectives on Vodun
Brutal Arts: Potent Aesthetics of Bocio Vodun Arts in Coastal Benin and Togo
      Suzanne Preston Blier
Vodun and Fon Culture
      Gabin Djimassé
Vodun Gods
      Marc Augé
Vodun Objects
      Patrick Vilaire

Appendices

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