Ere Ibeji c. 20th century

This small wood sculpture comes from the Yoruba people, and is called Ere Ibeji. Think about the hand that carved this, shaving away at the dark wood. You can almost feel their steady pressure, right? I wonder what the artist was thinking as they worked, as the figure slowly emerged. How long did it take? The body is smooth and tactile, but the face is far more striking, with its intense eyes and ears that protrude in a playful way. The artist has added a blue crown and necklace, perhaps bringing a modern sensibility to this sacred object. There's a tension between the traditional and the contemporary, a conversation between the past and the present. It reminds me of a Cy Twombly sculpture, actually. As an artist, I often feel I'm in a dialogue with other artists across time, learning from their innovations and building on their ideas. This sculpture is a powerful reminder of the enduring power of art to connect us to one another, across cultures and generations.