Peter Loebarth

Twin Figures from West Africa

This small 32-page book, now almost impossible to find, was published in the 1980s by the LM Gallery in Washington under the direction of its founder, Eva Matsumoto. The result of an exceptional collaboration with Wulf Lohse, curator of the Ethnographic Museum in Hamburg, and Peter Loebarth, a prominent Dutch dealer and collector, this exhibition catalog serves as a valuable photographic directory of representations of twins in West Africa. The work highlights a significant collection of ibeji, some of which are very old and unpublished, offering a rare insight into this tradition. The Ewe people of Togo, as well as the Fon and Adja of Benin, occupy a prominent place in it, reflecting the diversity and richness of the twin cult in this region. Over a hundred objects are documented, giving this work the status of an essential reference for researchers and enthusiasts of African art, particularly concerning the symbolism and ritual practices surrounding twins in West Africa.

twin figures from west africa peter loebarth wulf lohse lm gallery washington ibeji hohovi venavi book livre
twin figures from west africa peter loebarth wulf lohse lm gallery washington ibeji hohovi venavi book livre