Woman's neckpiece c. 1950

This Woman’s neckpiece was made by an artist from the Dinka culture, its material is not dissimilar to the way I might approach making a collage. The physicality of the work is interesting; it’s hard not to focus on the texture of the beads. It must have taken a lot of time to make! The surface of the piece is not flat but has dimension. Look at the bright, almost electric blue juxtaposed with black and then a line of red right up top. The eye is immediately drawn to the way the colors interact. The cream colored elements offset those contrasts. I love the tusk like pieces, what an amazing detail. The neckpiece reminds me a little of the work of Liza Lou, she also uses beads to cover surfaces and create texture. The work is never really done, it is in constant conversation with other art that has been made or will be made. We’re always in dialogue with each other.