Nataa Njegovanovi Risti

JUNO OD SAHARE
Fotografije Marli amir

SOUTH OF THE SAHARA

Photographs by Marli Shamir

MUZEJ AFRIKE UMETNOSTI THE MUSEUM OF AFRICAN ART

UVOD

INTRODUCTION

ahvaljujui angaovanju gospodina Dragoljuba Najmana, jugoslovenskog ambasadora pri UNESCO-u, Muzej afrike umetnosti je od Meunarodnog fonda za razvoj kulture UNESCO-a dobio na poklon dragocenu kolekciju originalnih umetniko-dokumentarnih fotografija o Africi, eminentne izraelske fotografkinje Marli amir. Kolekcija je poklonjena 1980. godine kada je prireena i prva izloba pod nazivom Juno od Sahare, povodom zasedanja 21. Generalne konferencije UNESCO-a u Beogradu. Izloba je imala izuzetnu recepciju kulturne javnosti Beograda, ali i uesnika Konferencije i samog predsednika UNESCO-a, gospodina Amadu Mahtar M Bo-a. Kolekcija fotografija Marli amir sadri sedamdeset i sedam fotografija kairanih na limenim ploama od kojih su sedamdest i jedna izraene u veliini 50x60 cm. dok su est u formatu 30x40 cm. Snimljene u crno-beloj tehnici fotografije na izuzetan nain prikazuju jedan deo afrikog kontinenta Sahel, sa svim njegovim specifinim geografskim, istorijskim, demografskim i kulturnim obelejima. Tokom boravka u ovom delu Afrike, u periodu izmeu 1968. i 1973.godine, Marli amir je pasionirano snimala predele, ljude, zemljoradnike, stoare, predmete svakodnevnog i kultnog karaktera.

t was thanks to the involvement of Yugoslav Ambassador at UNESCO, Mr Dragoljub Nayman that The Museum of African Art in Belgrade received from the International Fund for Cultural Development (UNESCO) a valuable collection of original art and documentary photographs of Africa taken by eminent Israeli photographer Marli Shamir. The collection was bequeathed in 1980 when the first exhibition under the title South of the Sahara was organised on the occasion of the 21 General Conference of UNESCO in Belgrade. The exhibition was enthusiastically received by the cultural public sector of Belgrade, the participants in the Conference and the president of UNESCO himself, Mr Amadou Machtar Bo. The collection of Marli Shamir's photographs holds 77 stills reproduced on tin plates from which 71 were developed in the 50x60 cm format and 6 in the 30x40 format. Originally black and white photographs, they show one part of the African continent the Sahel with all its specific geographical, historical, demographic and cultural traits. During her stay in Africa between 1968 and 1973 Marli Shamir passionately dedicated herself to photographing the landscapes, people, farmers, shepherds, objects of everyday use and those of a

Posebnu panju posvetila je snimanju arhitekture, profanih i sakralnih urbanih i seoskih zdanja graenih od blata, specifikuma Sahela. Iz bogate biografije ove umetnice moe se zakljuiti da je arhitektura, od samih poetaka bavljenja fotografijom, u fokusu njenih interesovanja i njenog umetnikog senzibiliteta. Otuda ne udi to je i arhitektura Sahela precizno odabrana i to, pored prepoznatljivog umetnikog rukopisa, nosi sve odlike briljivo zapisanog dokumenta, koji danas, posle etdeset godina, predstavlja izuzetno vaan vizuelni podatak ne samo za gradove toga podruja, ve i za sve potonje istraivae Afrike i afrikog stvaralatva.Takoe, ne treba zaboraviti ogroman znaaj fotografija ija tematika prikazuje animistike obrede koji su praktikovani kod naroda Dogon, Bamana i Malinke. Ve u vreme boravka Marli amir u Maliju,stara religijska praksa polako gubi znaaj koji je imala u prolosti. U novije vreme animizam i animistiki obredi opstali su u udaljenijim i zabaenijim ruralnim sredinama, dok se u selima skoncentrisanim oko gradova ovi obiaji manifestuju kao deo folklora i namenjeni su, uglavnom, lokalnoj zabavi i turistima. Ako prihvatimo formulaciju Jee Denegrija da je istina da fotografska predstava u najveem broju sluajeva nosi osobine objektivnosti (ako pod tim podrazumevamo prepoznatljivost realnih pojava i predmeta), onda bi snimke Marli amir mogli smatrati objektivnim stanjem postojeih praksi toga vremena. Fotografije Marli amir, kao i fotografije drugih fotografa i istraivaa afrike umetnosti koji su delovali na terenu tokom dvadesetog veka, publikovane su u brojnim knjigama, katalozima, publikacijama i asopisima koji se bave izuavanjem afrike umetnosti i afrikog stvaralatva. Na hiljade crnobelih i kolor fotografija koje prate naune tekstove poseduju vitalnu ulogu u vizuelnom preseku odreenog trenutka i samim tim pruaju sveobuhvatnije pojanjenje i razumevanje odreene problematike.

sacred character. She paid special attention to taking photographs of the architecture, profane and sacred, urban and village buildings made of mud, which are a specific trait of the Sahel. The rich biography of this artist reveals that from her early days, she focused her interest and artistic sensibilities towards architecture. Therefore it comes as no surprise that the architecture of the Sahel is carefully selected and besides reflecting her recognisable artistic signature, they also carry all the characteristics of a carefully collected document which today, forty years later, represents an extremely valuable visual source of information not only of the cities of this region, but also all for all later researchers of Africa and African creativity. The value and importance of the photographs depicting animistic rituals practiced by the Dogon, Bamana and Malinke should also be given due credit. At the time of Marli Shamir's stay in Africa the old religious practices already started losing the importance they held in the past. In more recent times animism and animistic rites are to be found in remote areas; on the other hand these practices also occur in villages surrounding larger urban spaces as part of the folklore and are conducted at times of celebration and for the sake of tourists. From the viewpoint of Jesha Denegri that: it is for the most part true that the photographed image in most cases carries the traits of objectivity (in regard to the recognisability of real phenomena and objects), then the photographs of Marli Shamir may be considered to be the objective state of existing practices of the time. The photographs of Marli Shamir and those of other photographers and explorers of African art that worked in the field throughout the 20th century have been published in numerous books, catalogues, publications and magazines that are dedicated to exploring the arts of Africa and African creativity. The thousands of black and white and colour photographs that accompany scientific

Priroda fotografije kao umetnikog rada i kao dokumentarnog zapisa predstavlja formu za sebe, ali i formu koja daje uvid u trenutno stanje odreenih pojava, u ovom sluaju afrike umetnosti, a njena snaga, po Suzan Sontag, lei u tome to ostavlja mogunost preispitivanja trenutka koji se u vizuelnom protoku vremena zamenjuje drugim. Fotografije Marli amir iz ciklusa Sahel koje se nalaze u Muzeju afrike umetnosti predstavljaju najznaajniji segment muzejskog foto arhiva, jer upravo u protoku vremena i realnih promena na terenu, one postaju sve dragocenija dopuna u prouavanju, eksplikaciji i prezentaciji odreenih muzejskih predmeta i regiona iz koga potiu.

Nataa Njegovanovi-Risti

papers play a vital role in the visual analysis of certain moments in time and therefore offer a more wholesome explanation and understanding of certain issues. The nature of photography as a work of art and documentary source is a form in itself and at the same time a form that reveals the actual state of certain phenomena caught in the moment, in this case African art. The power of photography, according to Susan Sontag, can be found in the fact that it offers the possibility of reconsidering the moment which in the natural flow of time is replaced by the other. The photographs of Marli Shamir from the Sahel series that at the Museum of African Art are one of the most important segments of the Museum's photo archive for it is with the passing of time and real changes in the field that they become ever more valuable assets in the process of researching, explaining and presenting certain museum artefacts and the region they come from.

Nataa Njegovanovi Risti

Sl. 1. Predah u hladovini, Hombori

Fig. 1. Taking a break in the shade, Hombori

SAHEL

THE SAHEL

olekcija fotografija Marli amir predstavlja zaokruenu tematsku celinu i prua impresivnu sliku jednog dela zapadne Afrike, prikazujui arhitekturu, pejsae, tradicionalan nain ivota, privredu, zanatstvo i umetnost. Iako su u najveem broju snimci nainjeni u Maliju, njihova tematika obuhvata srodnu, mnogo iru oblast, zapravo itav pojas koji se prua ispod Sahare do tropskih uma i od Senegala do jezera ad. U odnosu na severnu Afriku i tropsku Afriku, oblast Sahela (arapski Sahilgranica ili obala Sahare) ini posebno podruje sa specifinim privrednim, kulturnim i etnikim odlikama. U geografskom pogledu to su oblasti koje zahvataju ivinu liniju pustinje, a zatim prostrane travne oblasti savane sa bunjem i retkim drveem. (Sl. 1) Bez dovoljno atmosferskih padavina, do 30 cm. kie godinje, ova oblast je esto izloena sui i njenim tekim posledicama. U Sahelu se razlikuju tri godinja doba: suvi period-od polovine ferbruara do polovine maja, kada duva suvi vetar, harmatan, koji donosi pesak iz pustinje; kini period-od polovine maja do polovine novembra, vreme jugozapadnog monsunskog vetra, i hladni period od polovine novembra do polovine februara-doba koje bi kalendarski odgovaralo naoj zimi, naravno sa daleko viim temperaturama. No, u ovim dosta nepovoljnim uslovima egzistenciju ljudi olakava

he collection of photographs by Marli Shamir forms a complete thematic unit and offers an impressive picture of a part of West Africa by presenting its architecture, landscape, traditional way of life, economy, crafts and art. Although most of the photos were taken in Mali, the themes they cover encompass the related, much larger area that spreads below the Sahara and reaches the tropical forests and on the other hand, spreads from Senegal to Lake Chad. In comparison to North Africa and tropical Africa, the Sahel region (Sahil, in Arabic, means boundary or the coast of the Sahara) forms a unique area with specific economic, cultural and ethnic traits. In geographical terms, these are areas bordering the desert, with expansive savannah grasslands, shrubs and rare trees. (Fig. 1) Devoid of sufficient precipitation (up to 30 cm per annum) this area is often exposed to draughts and its brutal aftermath. There are three distinctive seasons that can be recognised in the Sahel: the dry season from mid-February to mid-May, when the dry harmattan wind blows bringing sand from the desert; the rainy season from mid-May to mid-November, the time of the south-western monsoon wind and finally, the cool period starting in mid-November parallel to our calendar winter, however with much higher temperatures. In these harsh conditions, people's

Sl. 1. Minaret Velike damije, ene

Fig. 1. The Great Mosque minaret, Djenn

ARHITEKTURA SAHELA

ARCHITECTURE OF THE SAHEL

olekcija Juno od Sahare sadri znatan broj fotografija na kojima su snimljena sakralna i profana arhitektonska zdanja specifinog i prepoznatljivog sudansko sahelskog stila. Damije, stambene kue, ulice u gradovima kao to su Timbuktu, ene, Gao, Mopti i drugi, imaju svoju osnovu u srednjovekovnim dravama i znaajnoj trgovini koja je u to vreme bila veoma razvijena i koja se odvijala izmeu ovog dela Afrike, Mediterana, Evrope i Azije. Trgovina kroz Saharu uspostavljena jo u treem veku pre nove ere odvijala se iz Sudana ka severu, do Kartagine. Zbog sve neprohodnijeg terena protok ljudi i ivotinja bio je preteak za intenzivnu trgovinu. Tek pojavom kamile na afrikom kontinetnu (500. godine pre nove), jedine ivotinje koja je mogla da pree ovaj neprohodni teren, trgovina se intenzivirala u oba smera. Tada je izgraena mrea karavanskih puteva, a neki od njih su zadobili veliki znaaj i mogli bi da se uporede sa putem svile u srednjoj Aziji ili sa putem tamjana u jugozapadnoj Arabiji.1 Upravo su najznaajniji putevi vodili do ovih gradova koji su vekovima vaili kao glavne stanice i trnice za mnoge karavane koji su dalazili sa severa, donosei dragocenu so, tkanine, srebro, bakar, perle i drugu robu u zamenu

he South of the Sahara collection contains a number of photographs that portray sacred and everyday architectural structures of the specific and recognisable Sudan-Sahel architectural style. Mosques, living quarters, streets in cities such as Timbuktu, Djenn, Gao, Mopti and others, have their basis in medieval states and commerce that was extremely developed at the time, and which was conducted between this part of Africa, the Mediterranean, Europe and Asia. Trade through the Sahara established as early as the third century BC was routed from the Sahel to the north, to Carthage. Due to the rough terrains the flow of people and animals was extremely difficult. It was only with the appearance of the camel (in 500 BC), the only animal that was capable of surmounting this rough ground that commerce intensified in both directions. This resulted in a network of caravan routes, with an importance that could be measured with, for instance, the Silk Road in middle Asia, or the Frankincense Road in south-western Arabia. The most important roads were to lead to these towns that were for centuries thought of as the main stops and markets for many caravans coming from the north, bringing salt, cloths, silver, brass, beads and other

Sl. 1. Zantegeiba, maska Bamana

Fig. 1. Zantegeiba, Bamana mask

MASKE

MASKS

Maske Bamana
ticaji Arapa i islama dominantni su u Sahelu ve mnogo vekova ali izvesni elementi kulture zadrali su svoje originalne oblike vezane za animistiku religiju posebno kod zemljoradnikih naroda, kao sto su narodi Bamana ili Bambara i Dogon ili Hambe, koji su poznati i po svojim izuzetno vrednim umetnikim delima. Zapravo, zapadna Afrika i podruje Konga su oblasti poznate po skulpturalnoj umetnosti izraenoj, pre svega u drvetu, sa mnogobrojnim maskama, figurama predaka i drugim kultnim predmetima po kojima je afrika umetnost stekla slavu i obogatila svetsku umetnost. (sl.1) Maska je nastala iz najdubljih ovekovih potreba i vekovima je bila instrument kojima je on izraavao verovanja, mitove, istorijsku prolost, strahove i nadanja vezane za egzistenciju. Od paleolita do danas, maske su izraivane na svim kontinentima i skoro kod svih naroda sveta. U politeistikim, animistikim i totemistikim zajednicama maska je imala vie namena i vie znaenja, prevashodno versko-magijski karakter. Izraivane su i noene u ceremonijama koje slave mnoga boanstva, mitska

Bamana Masks
ver the centuries, Arab and Islamic influences have been dominant in the Sahel however certain animistic cultural elements have retained their original forms especially among agricultural peoples such as the Bamana, or Bambara and the Dogon or Hambe who are well known for their extremely valuable pieces of art. In fact, West Africa and the Congo region are famous for their sculptural art especially in wood, with numerous masks, ancestral figures and other cult objects that have celebrated African art and enriched world art. (Fig. 1) The mask was created out of the most profound human needs and has for centuries been an instrument expressing belief, myths, historical past and existential fears and yearnings. Since the Paleolithic to the present day, masks have been made across the continents, among almost all peoples of the world. In polytheistic, animistic and totemistic societies the mask had numerous uses and meanings, primarily of a magico-religious character. They were made and worn in ceremonies which honour many deities, mythical beings, mythic heroes, spirits and spiritual forces. They were the inevitable props in cults of the

zajedno sa drugim igraem koji nosi ensku masku krene u polje, meu zemljoradnike za koje e igrati. Igra se sastojala od visokih skokova (imitacija antilopinih skokova) i dubokih naklona ka zemlji (imitacija obrade zemlje) i trajala je ceo dan, sve do veernjih sati. Sa seoskog trga ispraaju ih bubnjari, seljani koji ne pripadaju drutvu i-Vara i deca koji e ih po povratku doekati, kada e zajedno sa zemljoadnicima nastaviti drugi deo ceremonije. Druge dve fotografije prikazuju masku horizontalnog tipa i bubnjeve koji se pripremaju za ceremoniju i-Vara. (sl.5)

Maske Dogona
umetnosti Dogona govori i izvestan broj fotografija Marli amir i izuzetno vredna kolekcija od ezdeset i pet predmeta Muzeja afrike umetnosti. Zahvaljujui francuskim naunicima, pre svega Marselu Griolu, kao i najnovijim arheolokim istraivanjima, o ivotu, kulturi i umetnosti Dogona imamo dragocene podatke. Sva ova istraivanja pokazuju da je celokupna tradicionalna kultura Dogona u vrstoj vezi sa mitologijom i kosmologijom, te je za razumevanje njihove umetnosti neophodno poznavanje dogonskog mita o stvaranju sveta. Narod Dogon ivi u relativno siromanoj i neplodnoj oblasti Malija na junoj ivici saharske pustinje. Reka Niger, koja ovde ini veliku okuku, usmeravajui svoj tok prema jugu, a nizovi masivnih planina sa stenovitim visoravnima, ine prirodnu zatitu dogonskih naselja, iji su stanovnici sve do poetka 20. veka uspeno odolevali znatnijim uticajima spoljne sredine, posebno islamizaciji. (sl.1) Danas su Dogoni, kao i veina drugih etnikih

Marli Shamir's photographs that show examples of the vertical and horizontal type were taken at the same time the Pechar's were making their collection. The camera caught only one costumed dancer with a male mask on the crown of his head, squatting with a staff in his right hand. He is preparing himself to join the other dancer wearing female mask who are in the fields; he is surrounded by farmers for who they will dance. The dance consisted of high leaps (imitating those of the antelope) and deep squats towards the ground (imitating field work) and lasted all day long and into the night. They were followed from the village square by drummers, peasants not belonging to the Chi Wara association and children that would welcome them back, upon which the second part of the ceremony would continue along with the tillers. The other two photographs show the horizontal mask and drums, being prepared for the Chi Wara ceremony. (Fig. 5)

Dogon masks
number of photographs by Marli Shamir tell us about the art of the Dogon as does the extremely valuable collection of sixty-five objects at the Museum of African Art. Due to the research conducted by French scientists, particularly Marcel Griaule and supported by the latest archaeological research we have valuable information about the life, culture and art of the Dogon. All these studies show that the entire traditional culture of the Dogon is firmly connection to mythology and cosmology and in order to understand their art it is necessary to go into the Dogon creation myth. The Dogon people live in a relatively poor and barren part of Mali on the southern edge of the Sahara desert. The Niger River makes a sharp turn at

Sl. 8. Igrai sa maskom Kanaga, Sangi

Fig. 8. Dancers with Kanaga mask, Sangha

KERAMIKA

CERAMIC ART

ivotu naroda zapadne Afrike grnarstvo je ne samo opte rasprostranjena zanatska produkcija ve i znaajna umetnika delatnost. U ovoj sredini tradicionalno grnarstvo jo uvek ima vanu primenu kako u ruralnim tako i u urbanim sredinama, koje i pored industrijskog posua i dalje koriste sudove i druge predmete od gline raene na isti nain kao u prolosti. (sl. 1) Modelovane glinene glave i figure koje su izraivali brojni afriki narodi tokom itava dva milenijuma svedoanstvo su duge tradicije grnarstva, ali i izuzetno vana artefakta u sagledavanju afrikog stvaralatva uopte. S obzirom na to da plastika u drvetu ima ogranien vek trajanja, kao i injenica da Afrikanci nisu imali pismo i da je malo sauvanih pisanih izvora, keramika, kao i predmeti od metala materijali koji su mogli da opstanu vekovima - daju uvid u nastanak i razvoj afrike umetnosti. Stilske analogije novijeg afrikog stvaralatva sa predmetima iz daleke prolosti pruaju neosporne dokaze autohtonog razvoja afrike umetnosti, koja je sve do otkria Nok kulture (datovana na prvi vek pre nove ere) bila osporavana.1 Najstariji materijalni dokazi u razvoju afrikog stvaralatva ujedno su i svedoanstva o visokom stupnju zanatskog umea i jednoj razvijenoj umetnikoj praksi koja ne zaostaje za delima drugih

mong African peoples, pottery is not only a widely spread craftsmanship but also an important form of art. Traditional pottery is still regularly practiced in both rural and urban environments where vessels and other objects modelled from clay in the same manner as they were made in the passed, are still in use side by side with industrially made ware. (Fig. 1) Modelled clay heads and figures made by numerous African peoples throughout two millennia stand as testimony of the long tradition of pottery and at the same time are very important artefacts in reviewing African creativity in general. Based on the fact that sculpture in wood is of a temporary nature, along with the fact that Africans did not own a writing system and that there are few preserved written sources, ceramic art and objects made from metal as materials that can be preserved for centuries offer insight into the beginnings and development of African art. Stylistic analogies of current African creativity with objects from the distant past offer proof of the autochthonous development of African art, which was disputed until the Nok findings (dating the 1. century B.C.).1 The oldest material evidence when regarding the development of African creativity are a testimony to the advanced craftsmanship and a highly developed

Sl. 3. up sa reljefnom dekoracijom, Safara

Fig. 3. Pot with decorative relief, Safara

utvren je i na novijim lokalitetima. Nalazita u Maliju, locirana izmeu gradova enea i Moptija pruaju nove podatke o ritualnoj keramici. Pronaeni fragmenti glava i statueta polagani su u grobove direktno ili su stavljani u velike urne zajedno sa pokojnikom. injenica da su modelovane glinene glave-portreti i velike figure raene u dugom vremenskom rasponu kod mnogih naroda, govori u prilog tezi da je afrika umetnost juno od Sahare stvarana u kontinutetu dugom dve hiljade godina.2 Tradicionalna izrada keramike na podruju juno od Sahare podrazumevala je runo modelo-

funerary ceremonies and rested in graves alongside the deceased member of the community. This burial practice has been confirmed by more recent archaeological sites. Sites in Mali, located between Djenn and Mopti offer new data on ritual ceramics. The fragments of sculpted heads and statues were placed in graves directly or in large urns beside the deceased. The fact that modelled clay head-portraits and large sculptures were made over a long time span among numerous people goes in favour of the presumption that African art south of the Sahara has been created in continuity over two thousand years.2

Sl. 1. Tka

Fig. 1. Weaver

TKANINE BOGOLANFINI

BOGOLANFINI TEXTILES

naajan vid tradicionalnog stvaralatva u Africi ostvaren je na tkaninama, posebno na onima koje su koriene u religioznim, drutvenim, dvorskim i drugim sveanostima. Na njima, su razliitim tehnikama, prikazani antopomorfni, zoomorfni ili geometrijski crtei koji su imali ulogu da informiu, da likovnim jezikom uspostave komunikaciju izmeu pojedinca i zajednice. S obzirom na to da u prolosti Afrika nije imala svoje pismo, likovni sadraj na tekstilu ili skulptoralnoj formi esto je zamenjivao pisanu re. Veliku panju koju su afriki tkai pridavali tkanju i oslikavanju ogleda se u finoi i raznovrsnosti materijala koje su koristili, kao i u obilju dekorativnih elemenata. U prolosti je izraivan tekstil sa jednostavnim geometrijskim motivima i odevni tekstil sa slobodno odabranim dizajnom - razliitim od tkanina namenjenih za odreene ritualne potrebe. Na njima su likovnim motivima ispriani mitovi, duhovi i duhovne sile, razna boanstva, vani istorijski dogaaji, plemenski heroji, kraljevi i kraljevske loze, sveukupno najznaajnije religiozne i drutvene teme. Upravo zbog znaaja i snane simblike tekstil su tkali i ukraavali majstori koji su uivali poseban ugled u zajednici, a njihovo umee se veoma cenilo i slavilo. Koliki se znaaj pridavao tkanju sagledava se u

n important aspect of traditional art in Africa is achieved in textiles, especially those used in religious, social, court and other ceremonies. They depict, in different techniques, anthropomorphic, zoomorphic, or geometric drawings that were used to inform and which formed a graphic communication system between the individual and the community. Baring in mind that there was no written language in Africa, the graphic content of the textile or sculptural form often substituted the written word. The dedication of the African weaver to his craft is mirrored in the quality and variety of materials used and in the number of decorative elements as well. In the past, textiles had simple geometric patterns and clothing textiles demonstrated casually chosen patterns different to the textiles intended for specific ritual use. These displayed the graphical retelling of myths, images of spirits and spirit forces, different deities, important historical events, clan heroes, kings and royal lineage all in all the most important religious and social themes. Because of their importance and symbolic power, textiles were woven and decorated by master crafters who were highly respected in their communities and their craft admired and honoured. The importance of weaving is expressed in Dogon mythology