The Brooklyn Museum is hosting a special exhibition titled “One: Egungun,” at its Stephanie and Tim Ingrassia Gallery of Contemporary Art. The exhibition is on view through August 18, 2019.
“Egungun” refers to the Yoruba masquerades connected with ancestor reverence, or to the ancestors themselves as a collective force. The Egungun is celebrated in festivals, known as Odun Egungun, and in family rituals through the masquerade custom. The centuries-old custom is still in practice in Nigeria, the Republic of Benin, and in the Yoruba diaspora.
“One: Egungun” tells the story of a 20th century “Yoruba masquerade dance costume (egungun)” from its origins in Ogbomọ̀ṣọ́, Nigeria, to its current home in Brooklyn. This dramatic costume is composed of over 300 textiles from Africa, Europe, and Asia.
“While previously exhibited at the Brooklyn Museum, this egungun has not been the focus of extensive research until now. In summer 2018, its origins were traced back to its makers, the Lekewọgbẹ family. Though no longer ritually empowered according to its community of origin, it remains a compelling symbol of belief. By highlighting a single egungun, this exhibition emphasizes the global connections of African masquerades while challenging the misconception that cultural practices are static,” the museum says.
Also on display are four related West African textiles and garments; interviews with Nigerian scholars and contemporary artists; and photographs and films of egungun festivals. A text contributed by the Brooklyn Yoruba community brings a diasporic perspective.
“‘One: Egungun’ is the first Brooklyn Museum exhibition to include wall texts in English and Yoruba,” the museum says. “At the request of the Lekewọgbẹ family — the makers of this egungun — this exhibition honors their family name and masquerade heritage.”
The exhibition is curated by Kristen Windmuller-Luna, Sills Family Consulting Curator, African Arts, Brooklyn Museum.
The exhibition is on view through August 18, 2019, at Brooklyn Museum, 200 Eastern Pkwy, Brooklyn, NY 11238, USA.