Expression in West African Art

Our current exhibition, Expression in West African Art, features a selection of masks and figures from Nigeria and Burkina Faso. The works on view have a common thread: a direct and emotive, expressive power. Angular in shape, geometric in detail and bulky in proportion, these are works that inspire force. These masks and figures do not depict subjective reality but rather the subjective emotions and responses the objects arouse within a person. The thick patinas reinforce their aura and raw energy.

Pace African & Oceanic Art is a New York-based art gallery specializing in the sales of important antique, African art from central and west Africa, and Oceanic art from the islands of the Pacific. Established in 1971, the gallery maintains an inventory of museum-quality African art, such as masks, figures and other objects, which affirm the aesthetic imagination and mastery of the artists who made them. Affiliated with Pace Gallery, Pace African & Oceanic Art is a member of the Art Dealers Association of America (ADAA) and is available for consultation in regards to African art sales and acquisitions, both private and at auction; African art appraisal; and conservation.