Breaking from a thematic arrangement of objects, the Laura and James J. Ross Gallery of African Art has been partially reinstalled, with works of art organized according to cultural group. It showcases a number of newly acquired textiles and focuses on works by identified artists.
As part of the new display, a series of mesmerizing photographs of African rock-art sites are being projected onto the convex exterior of the Louis Kahn–designed stairwell, transforming a once-neglected corner of the gallery into a “modernist cave” that brings to life some of Africa’s most ancient cultural heritage sites. Organized in partnership with Eric Lin, Assistant Professor Adjunct of Technical Design and Production and Yale Repertory Theatre Projection Supervisor at the Yale School of Drama, the projection consists of 40 images taken by Kenyan photographer and rock-art specialist David Coulson, who in the 1980s launched a mission to document this important tradition all over the African continent, from Morocco to South Africa. In 2013 the British Museum, London, acquired digital files of these photographs, which document over 800 sites, from Coulson and the Trust for African Rock Art (TARA), through the generous support of the Arcadia Fund. The archive, freely available on the British Museum website, serves as a vital record of sites that are vulnerable to both natural and man-made destruction.
James Green
Frances and Benjamin Benenson Foundation Associate Curator of African Art