A Must-See African Metal Arts Exhibit: “Peace, Power & Prestige”

Peace, Power & Prestige: Metal Arts in Africa
Collection of Drs. John and Nicole Dintenfass. Photo by Nia Bowers.

Ethiopian artist, Ethiopia, detail of Shield, 19th - 20th century. Brass, cloth, and animal hide.

The arrival of a traveling exhibition entitled Peace, Power & Prestige: Metal Arts in Africa comes as no surprise. Represented in everything from jewelry and weaponry to currency and identity, the importance of metalwork in Africa spans decades.

Curated by Dr. Susan Cooksey, the exhibition displays metalwork from as early as the ninth century BCE to nearly the present and features pieces pulled from around sixty different art collections. One such collection permanently resides at the exhibition’s current site—the Ackland Art Museum of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

If you are in the area, Peace, Power & Prestige: Metal Arts in Africa is an absolute must-see. And if Chapel Hill seems too far a reach, Davenport, Iowa, and New York City will soon serve as temporary homes for this stunning assortment of art.

Event Information
Start Date: January 28, 2022
End Date: April 3, 2022
Venue: Ackland Art Museum

Peace, Power & Prestige: Metal Arts in Africa