Embodied Spirits

In Papua New Guinea, "spirit boards," also known as "gope," were carved from wood by important men of an extended family or clan. Made from discarded canoes and usually decorated with carved and painted designs on one side, these boards vary greatly in style. At the turn of the 20th century, when most of the boards featured here were collected, men lived apart from women and uninitiated boys; their houses had designated areas or shrines created to display items, such as spirit boards, that indicated personal status and clan identity. "Embodied Spirits" is the first book devoted exclusively to spirit boards. Full-page photographs illustrate the boards of each region, and historical photographs show them in situ. The book also includes original essays by two noted scholars of Papuan Gulf art.

This lavishly illustrated book features outstanding works of Luba art from the Democratic Republic of Congo. Major themes include the role of visual and performance arts in Luba traditional politics, the symbolism of the female image, and how Luba history is passed on through art. Part of the Visions in Africa series.

About the Author
Mary Nooter Roberts is Deputy Director and Chief Curator of the Fowler Museum of Cultural History at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). She also served for a decade as Senior Curator at the Museum for African Art in New York City.Allen F. Roberts is professor of World Arts and Cultures and Director of the African Studies Center at UCLA.