<I>Shango's Helper</I>
date: label: Date
content: 1972
name: label: Created by
content: Floyd Coleman, American, 1939 - 2018
notes: label: Caption
content: In 1970 artist, curator, and scholar Floyd Coleman traveled to West Africa, principally Nigeria and Ghana, where he was greatly influenced by textile and sculptural design. While there, the Yoruba people of Nigeria and Benin introduced Coleman to their traditions and spiritual beliefs. Coleman drew on his artistic training and newfound surroundings to form a cross-cultural style of painting.
label: Caption
content: Shango’s Helper is an abstract depiction of the Yoruba goddess Oya, identifiable by the color red and the saber she carries. Oya is the goddess of the Niger River, dynamism, tornadoes, and other natural powers. She is the third and favorite wife of Shango, god of thunder, fire, and lightning. Shango’s presence is visible in the double-ax icon above Oya’s head.
label: Description
content: This is an acrylic painting that depicts an abstract interpretation of a female figure. Done against a black background the shape is located primarily in the bottom left quadrant and partial top left quadrant of the painting. The bottom left features a wide swath of orange, topped with several textured shapes in shades of yellow, light brown, and grey. Shapes are clearly delineated by borders done in darker shades or alternate colors. Some shapes are patterned with narrow stripes and brush strokes. Above the figure is a grey rectangle outlined in green. Within the rectangle is a darker grey shape roughly resembling the head of an axe. There is a green horizontal line in the bottom right quadrant of the painting.
topic: label: Topic
content: African American
label: Topic
content: Abstraction
label: Topic
content: Africa
label: Topic
content: Art
label: Topic
content: Religion
setName: label: See more items in
content: National Museum of African American History and Culture Collection
label: Classification
content: Visual Arts
label: Movement
content: BAM (Black Arts Movement 1965-1976)
creditLine: label: Credit Line
content: Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of Kera and Bennie F. Johnson
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: National Museum of African American History and Culture
identifier: label: Object number
content: 2011.102.2
objectType: label: Type
content: acrylic paintings
objectRights: label: Restrictions & Rights
content: © 1972 Floyd Coleman
label: Restrictions & Rights
content: Permission required for use. Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.
physicalDescription: label: Medium
content: acrylic paint on canvas
label: Dimensions
content: H x W: 51 × 63 7/8 × 1 1/4 in. (129.5 × 162.2 × 3.2 cm)