This pair of figures, originating from the border region between southwestern Benin (Fon) and southeastern Togo (Ewe), is situated within the context of the closely intertwined Vodun traditions of both regions. In these religious systems, figurative objects function as material carriers of specific powers and are used in therapeutic, divinatory, and protective rituals. The constellation described here is related to ritual practices for the treatment of alcohol addiction, with the figures serving as representatives, repositories, and transformers of problematic energies.

Formally, the figures depict an upright pair, their bodies structured by striking applications of painted bottle caps on the front and back. These elements can be interpreted as a direct reference to the problem being addressed, transforming consumer objects into ritualistic symbols. The left figure exhibits more nuanced detail: a finely modeled face, an intricate hairstyle, and an anchor-shaped metal element on its head. Their polychrome dotting in white, blue, and red suggests a visual encoding of spiritual forces. The figure on the right is more minimalist, with a glossy patina, a rope-like head element beneath a metal cap, and textile and beaded attributes.

Both figures stand on pedestals, their arms close to their bodies, creating a sense of formal unity. Traces of wear and cracks attest to repeated ritual use. In their material hybridity, the objects combine everyday remnants and symbolic forms into a powerful aesthetic of transformation.

Literature (selection)
Blier, Suzanne Preston: African Vodun: Art, Psychology, and Power. Chicago, 1995.
Meyer, Birgit: Translating the Devil: Religion and Modernity among the Ewe in Ghana. Edinburgh, 1999.
Herskovits, Melville J.: Dahomey: An Ancient West African Kingdom. New York, 1938.
Rush, Dana: Vodun in Coastal Benin: Unfinished, Open-Ended, Global. Art Journal, 2008.

CAB 46358

sold

Height: 24 cm / 24 cm
Weight: 230 g / 260 g (incl. stand)