Goldweight [Four Birds on a Perch] 19th-20th century

Curator: Oh, my goodness, this little sculpture is exquisite! I mean, really. There’s something so…self-contained about it, you know? Like it’s humming a quiet song to itself. Editor: And here it is: we're looking at an Akan goldweight from the 19th or 20th century. Its official title is "Four Birds on a Perch," crafted from brass, and you can find it right here at the Minneapolis Institute of Art. Curator: Four birds! That’s right. I saw them there all huddled. When I first looked, I wasn’t even sure it was birds, but it has that huddled-together warmth of safety, wouldn't you agree? What is this weight communicating? Editor: Goldweights like this were actually used by the Akan people in Ghana for weighing gold dust, which served as currency. Now, the symbolism of birds in Akan culture can be quite layered. Curator: Aha! Because I immediately saw the universal symbolic use of birds for spiritual transition between states: thought, death, time... but in reality we are talking trade! Editor: Exactly! The proverb connected to this particular image suggests unity and cooperation. It embodies the importance of a community’s stability, resilience and interconnected fate. Curator: Isn’t it striking how this tiny object carries the weight—literally and metaphorically—of complex social and economic ideas? I would've imagined it'd represent something very lofty, considering its golden shimmer, but there are very direct applications. Editor: Definitely. The brass, over time, has likely acquired its own texture, and almost feels like stories accumulating through touch. Curator: Thinking about what that little piece witnessed makes my mind reel. A conversation starter of old that is now the starting point of other interpretations here today. Thank you. Editor: Yes, indeed. May our thoughts echo with those four little birds of yore!