Esu Dance Staff (Ogo Elegbara) c. mid to late 19th century

This is a dance staff, made by the Yoruba people, and currently held at the Art Institute of Chicago. The dark patinated bronze draws our eye to the staff’s complex structure of vertical and curvilinear forms. The staff is constructed from a series of stylized figures arranged on different planes. Three small figures stand on a circular platform, while in the centre, a larger figure holds a curved object. Above this, a further face supports a dramatic, arching form that culminates in a bulbous end. These forms may refer to Esu, a Yoruba deity known for his powerful, disruptive presence. The staff's composition and use of stylized form suggests an engagement with complex symbolic meaning. The work destabilizes any singular interpretation, inviting us to consider how these visual elements function within a broader cultural and philosophical discourse.