PAD to the rhythm of tribal art

Paris, 25 March 2018

From 4 to 8 April 2018, tribal art enthusiasts will be flocking to Paris Art Design!

At this 22nd edition of the fair, the French capital’s most talented galleries will be meeting up at the Jardin des Tuileries to celebrate creation and artistic taste. As is the case every year, the organisers have come up with a remarkable presentation of styles and eras, the guiding thread being prime aesthetics.

On the menu: modern art, contemporary design, furniture, jewellery… But also tribal art, with objects originating from Asia, America and Africa.

Among the French galleries that will be at the PAD this year, three are worth singling out. Galerie Lucas Ratton, specialised in ritual objects, is notably offering a Kuba bowl (Congo, 19th century) and a Pwo Tschokwe mask (Angola, 19th century). Then, there’s Galerie Afrique, presenting African sculptures and ethnographic objects. This year, we can discover a superb and rare polychrome butterfly mask from the Bwa people of Burkina Faso. “This one was collected in 1975 in the village of Dossi,” comments Alain Dufour. “A similar mask was found in Mr Thomas Wheelcock’s collection.” Finally, Galerie Flak is organising a thematic exhibition on the ancient arts of Papua New Guinea. Particular focus is being placed on figures and hooks from Korewori, one of the most fertile spots for the region’s tribal-art masterpieces. The show will be accompanied by the publication of a catalogue on Sepik art.