Kuyu Kebe Kebe head

This Kuyu head belongs to the kebé-kebé tradition of hand-held sculptures used in danced performances and initiation ceremonies in northern Republic of the Congo. Mounted on a handle and animated by the performer, such heads were conceived to be experienced in movement, where colour, rhythm and theatrical presentation contributed to the transmission of collective narratives and values.

The present example displays a boldly painted yellow face, with black-accented eyes and red lips, beneath a deeply incised black coiffure. Its original elongated handle survives, clearly indicating the manner in which the sculpture was manipulated. The vivid polychromy, possibly renewed during the object's active life, gives the work a particularly striking presence.