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carved gourd hand painted paint
Currently on view at Mint Museum--UPTOWN
Gift of Dana Martin Davis in honor of DVA Charlotte
Michele Tejuola Turner’s approach utilizing gourds as a surface upon which to carve and paint draws directly upon traditions in African art, in which she became interested after moving to Atlanta in 1979. Her fascination with gourd carving became even greater after her former husband’s initiation into the Yoruba priesthood in 1985 and her subsequent visits to Ghana and Nigeria to study traditional carving techniques. While many of her gourds record African myths and folktales, often through a unique combination of text, image, and pattern, "Babalawo" also incorporates more personal imagery relating to various places that her family has lived.
Accession Number: 2015.14
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