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# *Poets and Fetters*

National Museum of African Art

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                      - Print
                      -     DetailsRelatedObject Details- Bruce Onobrakpeya, born 1932, Nigeria
- Series
- 5/75
- Label Text
- This body of work was designed to illustrate "Africa: On Her Schedule Is Written a Change," a book of poems by Barbara Haegar (Ibadan: African Universities Press, 1981). Many of these poems coupled with Onobrakpeya's visual renderings address the complex, tumultuous history of political fortunes and movements in post-independence Africa. They often highlight problems of corruption, despotism and the disabling legacies of colonial domination.
- This work tells of the harassment and censorship directed toward Africa's poets, playwrights, musicians and visual artists at the hands of corrupt authorities.
- Description
- Etching of a grid background with a figure playing a guitar and a very large mask with a lock on its mouth in the foreground. There is a title and signature along the bottom of the composition: "5/75 Poets and Fetters - Deep Etching - Bruce Onobrakpeya, Lagos, Sept, 1980."
- Lagos, Sept, 1980."
- Provenance
- Warren Robbins, Washington, D.C. -- to 1991
- Exhibition History
- Encounters with the Contemporary, National Museum of African Art, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C., January 7, 2001-January 6, 2002
- Published References
- Haeger, Barbara and Bruce Onobrakpeya. 1981. Africa: On Her Schedule is Written a Change. Ibadan: African Universities Press, p. 44 and cover.
- Content Statement
- As part of our commitment to accessibility and transparency, the Smithsonian National Museum of African Art is placing its collection records online. Please note that some records are incomplete (missing image or content descriptions) and others reflect out-of-date language or systems of thought regarding how to engage with and discuss cultural heritage and the specifics of individual artworks. If you see content requiring immediate action, we will do our best to address it in a timely manner. Please email nmafacuratorial@si.edu if you have any questions.
- Image Requests
- High resolution digital images are not available for some objects. For publication quality photography and permissions, please contact the Eliot Elisofon Photographic Archives at https://africa.si.edu/research/eliot-elisofon-photographic-archives/
- Credit Line
- Gift of Warren M. Robbins
- 1980
- Object number
- 91-11-8
- Restrictions & Rights
- Usage conditions apply
- Copyright
- © 1980 Bruce Onobrakpeya
- Type
- Print
- Medium
- Deep etching on paper
- Dimensions
- H x W x D (matted): 52.1 × 36.8 cm (20 1/2 × 14 1/2 in.)
- H x W x D (folio sheet): 39.4 × 26.7 cm (15 1/2 × 10 1/2 in.)
- Other (image): 30.5 × 19.4 cm (12 × 7 5/8 in.)
- H x W x D (unfolded sheet): 39 × 52.3 cm (15 3/8 × 20 9/16 in.)
- Geography
- Nigeria
- See more items in
- National Museum of African Art Collection
- National Museum of African Art
- Topic
- musical instrument
- mask
- Record ID
- nmafa_91-11-8
- Metadata Usage (text)
- Usage conditions apply
- GUID (Link to Original Record)
- http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ys7c87fe3ae-cd79-4ad0-b753-c1262bb3132b
Related Content-                    Poetry                 
  CC0Creative Commons - No Rights Reserved iconUsage Conditions Apply>download icon>          There are restrictions for re-using this image. For more information, visit the Smithsonian's Terms of Use page .        International media Interoperability FrameworkIIIF provides researchers rich metadata and media viewing options for comparison of works across cultural heritage collections. Visit the IIIF page to learn more.View manifestView in Mirador ViewerExpand to view image×                             Footer logo      
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