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Highlight one artworks or object from Before Yesterday We Could Fly. Let's try to have everyone do something different, so if you see that someone has already posted about a piece, please choose something else. Include a photo and caption, and post the museum's description of the artwork or artifact. Write 1-2 sentences about your reaction to the artwork or artifact and why you think it is interesting or important.

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Crucifix

Kongo peoples

17th century

Brass crucifixes cast by Kongo artists reflect the influence Christianity has had on Kongo culture. In 1490, less than a decade after the first Portuguese explorers encountered the then vast and thriving Kongo kingdom, missionaries were sent there to establish a Christian settlement. Although the king and his successor converted almost immediately, Christianity never replaced traditional religious beliefs. Instead, Christian ritual objects acquired many of the same meanings and functions of the charms and power objects they were meant to supersede. Kongo chiefs received them along with other insignia of office and used them to proclaim their power as lawgivers and judges.

Although based on European models, the crucifixes made by Kongo artists also acquired Kongo forms. They were usually cast in an open mold using metal obtained from manillas, brass rings imported from Europe. Praying figures, sometimes reduced to disembodied heads as on the arms of this cross, were often added to the composition. A few incised lines depict Christ's ribs and his knotted loincloth, which are more recognizable here than in later examples. Chirst's exaggerated, splayed hands and feet--joined in a single, five-toed limb--enhance the power of this image.

I think it’s interesting how the people of Kongo would take the traditions of Christianity and create a twist to it that embodies their own traditions. Adding cultural touches to a religion that they excepted as their own.

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Medium: Shoes, steel wire, monofilament line, washers, and screws

In his sculptures and installations, Cole gives discarded objects new life. Here, he connects seemingly fragmented and separate histories - of conquest and land appropriation, enslavement, diaspora, migration, joy, and pain. Transforming high-heeled leather shoes into an object inspired by nineteenth-century masks from Cameroon, Cole perceives the "soul/sole" memories that remain in the shoes: the places numerous unknown wearers have walked, along with their skin cells, sweat, and very essence. In doing so, he suggests how woven together American lives truly are and reminds us how these histories impact our present moment and future in complex ways that we can fail to recognize if we do not take time to notice.

I immediately gravitated towards this piece as I have an interest in mask, and furthermore it reminds me of a similar work by another artist that looks like a large feline/canine made with old leather baseball gloves if memory serves right. But, either way, I think a mask is a representation of a persona, role, or icon and they exist within many cultures.

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“This vessel was made by Thomas W. Commeraw, a free African American potter working in Manhattan's Lower East Side during the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries. Commeraw operated a kiln in Corlears Hook, the area along the shoreline of the East River now between the Manhattan and Williamsburg Bridge. Like most stoneware of the period, Commeraw's vessels were largely utilitarian and embellished with incised decoration accented with a cobalt glaze. The distinctive foliate design found on both sides of this jar are typical of Commeraw's wares and distinguish his vessels from those of other New York City potters of the early 19th century. Commeraw's is the largest body of work by a free Black potter during the antebellum period."

This vessel is a remarkable artifact that showcases the skill and creativity of a free African American potter during a time when such achievements were rare. Its practical design with decorative foliage highlights Commeraw's craftsmanship and underscores his work's cultural significance in early American history.

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Hair Comb. India Rubber Comb Company. Charles Goodyear. ca. 1851

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DESCRIPTION: This hair-comb is made of vulcanite (India rubber that has been treated with sulfur), and features an applied border in the shape of a seven-link chain atop a six-tooth comb. The back of the piece is marked "I.R. COMB CO GOODYEAR 1851." The process of vulcanizing rubber was discovered by Charles Goodyear and patented in 1844. By the 1850s vulcanite had become a popular substitute for more expensive materials such as tortoiseshell or jet and was frequently used by American jewelers and accessory makers.

REACTION: What drew me to this piece was the fact that at first glance, it looked like something I have in my own home. Despite this object being a historical period room, I have tens of combs and hair picks that look similar to this right now, at this moment. In fact, the only thing that makes them different is the fact that rather than a handle, this piece has chains. It makes me wonder about what this piece really means; whenever I see chains in African-American art, it usually symbolizes the enslavement of Black people, but I don't think that's the case here. The combs I have are not new by any means, some are made of wood, some metal, and the ones that I bought myself are made of plastic. The older ones I have, that are made out of wood and metal, are not actually mine. They were given to me by my mother, my aunts, my grandmothers, my female relatives who have all done my hair at some point when I was younger and gave me their hair comb. I didn't really understand it as a child and still don't understand it now, but I think the hair comb not only acknowledges cultural significance, but highlights the passing of heritage.

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In Sojourner Truth I Fought for the Rights of Women as well as Negroes, from “The Negro Woman” series, Elizabeth Catlett, 1947. 18 13/16 × 12 1/4 in. (47.8 × 31.1 cm). Medium Linocut.

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"This print is sixth in a series of fifteen linoleum cuts that Catlett created to commemorate Black women’s labor and to honor renowned heroines. Born Isabella Baumfree to an enslaved family in nineteenth-century Ulster County, New York, Sojourner Truth became an influential antislavery activist, memoirist, and feminist. Catlett shows her as a commanding figure, filling the picture plane, who stares out toward the viewer with a penetrating gaze. Truth’s strong, somewhat oversized hands—one points heavenward while the other rests next to a Bible—testify to her faith and commitment to the cause of abolition. One senses the artist’s own hand at work in the deep, direct incising of lines that characterizes her printmaking technique."

My initial reaction to this piece was how powerful the symbolism of Sojourner Truth pointing up to the heavens with her hand on a bible was. It's not only beautiful visually but also in the message of the importance of faith and duty to abolition.

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Description: Roots, barks, fruits, nectars, leaves, and stems. Stewed, infused, distilled, decocted, crushed, and burned. Drunk, eaten, or applied as a poultice. Herbalist and healers of African descent have long developed treatments for both body and soul that tend to the natural and supernatural causes of illness. Here, the imagined conjure women who occupy this home follow generations of historical healers and transmute plant matter into cures by adapting traditional belief systems, Indigenous plant knowledge, and the types of European equipment on view. Their everyday alchemy of medicine aligns science, magic, and spirituality in order to protect this home and its collection of cultural treasures.

Reaction: This flask really caught my eye because I've really never seen anything like it before, it looks very beautiful in its clear glass and simple, seemingly very straight forward and functional shape. The description gives a lot of background to the object's purpose and invention back in the 18th century. It beautifully captures the intersection between African healing practices, Indigenous plant knowledge, and European influences within the concept of this double flask. It was so interesting to hear how they used it back then as a vessel for healing properties and herbal remedies, versus, what we use flasks for today, which would be alcohol.

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Double flasks | probably German | The Metropolitan Museum of Art

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The American Wing Ancient Near Eastern Art Arms and Armor The Michael C.

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Title: Vernus 3

Designer: Ini Archibong (American, born Pasadena, California 1983)

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Venus 3 by Ini Archibong is a piece of modern design that combines art and function. It’s part of his "Oracle" collection and stands out because it’s not just a regular light fixture—it’s also a work of art. The design is inspired by organic, natural forms, making it look almost like a floating object from another world.

What makes "Venus 3" interesting is how it blends different materials like glass and metal to create something that feels both elegant and otherworldly. It’s important because it shows how design can be more than just practical; it can also be emotional and tell a story.

My first reaction to "Venus 3" is that it’s really captivating. It’s not just something you see and move on from—it draws you in and makes you want to spend time looking at it. It’s a beautiful example of how design can be both useful and visually stunning.

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Cyrus Kabiru (Kenyan, born 1984). Miyale Ya Blue, 2020

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Cyrus Kabiru's "Miyale Ya Blue" stands out for how it redefines the limits of traditional art by transforming everyday discarded materials into something truly unique and visually compelling. Kabiru’s work not only draws attention to environmental concerns but also highlights the power of resilience and creativity in overcoming challenges. This piece offers a striking commentary on sustainability and how art can reshape our understanding of identity.

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This sculpture by Willie Cole depicts a seemingly abstract blob, but when you look closer it becomes clear that it is a carefully placed piece of shoes and wires. Each shoe fits perfectly into its place, and creates this really profound piece that represents how interconnected our lives are in american history, and how easily history can repeat itself. The anonymity of the shoes and who's they were allows everyone to feel as if they could relate to the piece. I really love the seeming randomness of the shoes, but in reality the piece is almost symmetrical, and I appreciate the artist using a medium that would otherwise not be thought of.

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Thriving and Potential, Displaced (Again and Again and ...), Njideka Akunyili Crosby, 2021, collage inkjet print on vinyl

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"Njideka Akunyili Crosby's work begins with a layer of photographic transfers. Her design for this gallery's verdant backdrop combines images of the 1856 hand-drawn survey map of Seneca Village and nineteenth-century ambrotype portraits of Black New Yorkers, which are then juxtaposed with more contemporary images from the African diaspora. Overlaying this imagery is the lush foliage of an okra plant, a crop with nourishing power and potent symbolism. Originating in sub-Saharan West Africa and carried across the sea during the Middle Passage, okra embodies not only that brutal displacement but also the multitude of culinary and cultural traditions that have endured and thrived on American shores."

In line with the message of Before Yesterday We Could Fly, this work pulls from symbols and traditions of the African diaspora and introduces them in a modernistic, futuristic way, and exposing dark and unjust events in American history through a strong composition. It's important to highlight the artist's choice to weave the foliage of the okra plant throughout the whole piece, illustrating its importance to African people, culture, traditions, and values. Nature is something that will always rise on top of or through man-made, industrial/urban structures.

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Ceremonial Palm Wine Vessel | Grassfields region | The Metropolitan Museum of Art Title: Ceremonial Palm Wine VesselDate: 19th–20th centuryGeography: CameroonCulture: Grassfields region Medium: Gourd, glass beads, cloth, cane, woodDimensions: H. 30 1/4 × W. 12 1/8 × D. 7 3/4 in. (76.8 × 30.8 × 19.7 cm) Classification: Beads-Containers Credit Line: Purchase, Gifts in memory of Bryce Holcombe, 1986 Accession Number: 1986.336a, b

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Ceremonial Palm Wine Vessel 19th–20th-- N. Olidan

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Ceremonial Palm Wine Vessel 19th–20th-- N. Olidan

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Besides what I shared in the caption, the museum did not have a description for this item, so I researched the ritual item. The bead embroidered calabashes were an important part of a Grassfields kingdom's royal treasury, used to store palm wine for ceremonial occasions by the chief they called Fon. The calabash features intricate bead embroidery and a carved wood stopper with symbolic animal heads. These decorated objects symbolized royal status and prestige, carrying with them the rich cultural and historical significance of the Grassfields kingdoms. The Fon used these containers to store palm wine for ceremonial occasions. The consumption of palm wine was a sacred activity that reinforced the Fon's spiritual and political power and was also an essential part of sacrificial libations to the ancestors. The calabash in this example has a long neck attached to a tall cylindrical basketry base, with a carved wood stopper featuring two-horned animal heads facing opposing directions and a third animal head pointing upward, symbolizing all-seeing powers. The entire assemblage is covered with cloth embroidered with translucent and opaque glass beads forming intricate and colorful circular, diamond-shaped, and zigzag patterns. The decoration of wooden sculptures with brightly colored beads transformed everyday objects such as stools, vessels, and pipes into symbols of royal status and prestige.

This Ceremonial Palm Wine Vessel is a stunning example of how art can embody both practical and symbolic significance. The intricate beadwork and animal motifs not only highlight the vessel's role in ceremonial rituals but also reflect the profound spiritual and political power of the Fon. Using glass beads as a luxury material further emphasizes the vessel's status and the sophistication of the Grassfields kingdoms. It is fascinating how this piece merges artistic beauty with deep cultural meaning, representing earthly and supernatural realms.

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Title: Ceremonial Palm Wine Vessel

Date: 19th-20th century

Culture: Grassfields region

Medium: Gourd, glass beads, cloth, cane, wood

Dimensions: H. 30 1/4 × W. 12 1/8 × D. 7 3/4 in. (76.8 × 30.8 × 19.7 cm)

Classification: Beads-Containers

Credit Line: Purchase, Gifts in memory of Bryce Holcombe, 1986

Accession Number: 1986.336a, b

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Ceremonial Palm Wine Vessel | Grassfields region | The Metropolitan Museum of Art

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Title: Ceremonial Palm Wine Vessel Date: 19th-20th century Culture: Grassfields region Medium: Gourd, glass beads, cloth, cane, wood Dimensions: H. 30 1/4 × W. 12 1/8 × D. 7 3/4 in.

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The Mido Chair is featured in the exhibit Before Yesterday We Could Fly in the Met. The artist Jomo Tariku made the Mido Chair in 2021. Walnut veneer was the medium used to make this comb-like chair. The purpose of its design was to be reminiscent of hair pick comb, which can be seen as a linking cultural symbol across the African diaspora. Furniture making is a African traditional as well, furthering the allegory to connecting culture despite spacial boundaries.

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"Justice of Ezili" is particularly notable for its exploration of Haitian culture and the representation of women in Haitian history. Made from Paper, gold, Swarovski crystals, lapis lazuli, labradorite, brass, ink, and resin. Artist Jean-Louis draws inspiration from the Haitian Vodou goddess Ezili Dantor, a powerful figure representing justice, motherhood, and protection. The costumes in the series are inspired by traditional Haitian attire. They often incorporate vibrant colors, intricate beadwork, and symbolic patterns. Jean-Louis’s use of this dress transcends mere fashion; it becomes a narrative device, emphasizing the importance of visual representation in understanding cultural heritage and identity.

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 Tourmaline (American, born 1983). Morning Cloak, 2020.
Dye sublimation print, 30½ × 30 in. (77.5 × 76.2 cm).
The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York; Purchase,
Lila Acheson Wallace Gift, 2021 (2021.272)

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Tourmaline's Morning Cloak captured my attention for depicting a powerful blend of resilience and beauty through its vibrant colors and intricate details. This piece reflects the artist's exploration of identity and history which is incredibly important! The piece is compelling for its ability to merge personal and cultural narratives, offering a visual experience that resonates with themes of transformation and empowerment. Next time I am at The Met. in NY, I will be looking for this piece on the walls!

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Hair Comb, India Rubber Comb Company, Charles Goodyear, ca. 1851

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"Among the objects recovered at the Seneca Village site was a small hair comb molded from Malaysian gutta-percha resin. Both the Seneca Village comb and this ornate vulcanite display piece, made from rubber harvested in West Africa, were products of a nineteenth-century colonial robber economy in which manufacturers exploited natural materials and Indigenous labor in the European colonies. In the Unites States, where such finished objects were bought and sold, the 1850 passage of the Fugitive Slave Act meant that many free or self-emancipated Black New Yorkers were again in danger of kidnapping and enslavement. This comb's border in the shape of a short link chain powerfully resonates with this painful history of bondage."

Before seeing the description, I was drawn to this object because of the chain-like border. Like the Mido chair, I felt that it symbolized a connection between the current African diaspora and the previous culture that existed during the times of slavery.

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Henry Taylor, “Andrea Motley Crabtree, the first,” 2017, Acrylic on canvas, 83 7/8 × 59 7/8 in.

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“This portrait is based on a 1982 photograph of Andrea Motley Crabtree, the first woman and the first Black woman to serve as a deep-sea diver in the U.S. Army. Wearing a massive diving suit and helmet, Crabtree sits as if enthroned, according regal status to her feats of exploration. Transit over and through seawater also evokes a broader historical narrative that began with the transatlantic slave trade across the liminal space of the ocean. In recognition of the Atlantic seabed as a place of cultural significance, teams of Black scuba divers work today to locate and record historical information about sunken slave ships and to place memorials acknowledging the victims of slavery.”

This portrait stood out to me primarily because of the clear parallels between the composition of style of this piece and the portraits of wealthy white nobility that can be typically found in traditional, eurocentric period rooms. Although Crabtree is pictured wearing a diving suit, I also think of the well-known photographs of early U.S. astronauts (mostly white men) who were celebrated and regarded as heroes who advanced American progress and global influence. I appreciate that by making these associations the artist highlights the story of Crabtree, someone who made such significant strides and yet is less well known, into a place of historical remembrance.

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DESCRIPTION:

The London-based designer Ilori creates furniture that is both functional and capable of telling stories. For a 2016 project entitled A Swimming Pool of Dreams, he refurbished a suite of six found chairs to embody the hopes and dreams of the congregants who traveled with him and his family on trips to the Margate seaside, which were organized by the church of his Nigerian-immigrant parents. Among this close-knit group was an auntie who deeply longed for children; her wish is captured by this seat. The beautiful and brightly patterned wing hinged to the side symbolizes both her desire to add to her family and its fruition.

REACTION:

Yinka Ilori's "Iya Ati Omo" captivates with its vibrant colors and patterns, which reflect the artist's British-Nigerian heritage and create a lively dialogue between traditional African aesthetics and contemporary design. This artwork stands out as a compelling exploration of identity and cultural heritage, making it both interesting and significant in its ability to bridge diverse artistic and cultural narratives.

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Yinka Ilori | Iya Ati Omo | The Metropolitan Museum of Art

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Use your arrow keys to navigate the tabs below, and your tab key to choose an item

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Butter Churn, Before Yesterday We Could Fly

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This wooden butter churn, dating back to the 19th century, is a household object used by African American families to make butter by hand. The churn is featured in Before Yesterday We Could Fly: An Afrofuturist Period Room at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, representing everyday life in Black communities and connecting past traditions with future possibilities.

This butter churn is a powerful reminder of the ingenuity and resilience of African American households. Its presence in the Afrofuturist period room adds a sense of continuity between past and present, illustrating how traditional skills and domestic life are part of a larger narrative of survival and adaptation. I find this artifact particularly interesting because it symbolizes not just the labor involved in daily life but also the cultural heritage that shapes identity and community resilience.

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Power Figure: Male (Nkisi). Kongo Peoples. 19th-201th Century.

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The kingdom of Kongo was at the height of its power in 1482, when Portuguese sailors first visited the coast of central Africa. The kingdom, founded between 1350 and 1400, was a model of centralized government, with a divine king and a network of advisers, provincial governors, and village chiefs who ruled as many as three million people. Portuguese navigators brought with them Catholic missionaries who converted the kings of Kongo leading to the creation of the first Christian kingdom south of the Jahra until its collapse in the mid-eighteenth century.
Among the most disctinctive subject of Kongo statuary are the "power figures" (minkisi). After a sculptor carves such a figure, a religious expert packs powerful substances about its head and into a mirror-covered receptacle on its abdomen. The diverse ingredients, which may include special earths and stones, leaves and seeds, parts of animals, bird beaks and feathers, are specially combined to attract forces and direct them to a desired goal, such as healing an illness or afflicting an enemy. As the figure is used and reused, additional materials may be added--nails, bits of cloth, beads, bells, even miniature carvings--which gradually alter its appearance.

I recall Alison Saar used Nkisi figures in her work as well so it adds even more impact to learn in more depth the meaning and history of these figures and their importance in African culture. I think it's a great addition to the collection as the figures represent intention, power, and even change/growth as the elements of the figure can change with use.