ART on view After having produced two exhibitions crafted for the general public—Masques à Démasquer (February 2012 through January 2013), and Arts de l’Antiquité (March through October 2013)—both of which were sublime but not particularly original in their approach, Geneva’s Musée Barbier-Mueller was ready for an exhibition to reaffirm its place as a leading institution in the field of tribal art. In this respect, Découvrir les Baga de Guinée (Discovering the Baga of Guinea), which opened on October 17 and remains on view through March 2014, can be seen as something of a statement of intent. The exhibition presents twenty-five pieces from the Baga and neighboring peoples and is the culmination of fifteen years of research by anthropologist Dr. David Berliner, who curated it. It unveils specific cultural practices of a population that is undergoing FIG. 1 (left): Bird mask. Baga, Nalu, Landuma, or Susu, Guinea. Wood. H: 61 cm. Musée Barbier-Mueller, inv. 1001-30. Photo: Studio Ferrazzini-Bouchet. FIG. 2 (right): Face mask with two heads. Baga, Guinea. Wood. H: 52 cm. Musée Barbier-Mueller, inv. 1001-10. Photo: Studio Ferrazzini-Bouchet. FIG. 3 (below): Stool. Baga, Nalu, Landuma, or Susu, Guinea. Wood. H: 32.5 cm. Ex René Rasmussen. Musée Barbier-Mueller, inv. 1001-26. Photo: Studio Ferrazzini-Bouchet. So Familiar, So Mysterious: The Art of the Baga of Guinea at the Musée Barbier–Mueller in Geneva change and remains divided between tradition and modernity. The show is, without question, a first. No exhibition dedicated to this subject has ever been seen in Europe before, and this one is representative of the resolutely aesthetic and in-depth type of show that the museum is known for. The Barbier-Mueller conceives of its exhibitions as a vehicle for showcasing its collection, both with the intent of showing the formal beauty of its holdings and as a reminder of their unique history. The present exhibition is no exception to this rule. The masks, figures, stools, and drums it displays in this installation are characterized by great visual and sculptural power. A number of them were also formerly the property of distinguished European artists such as Maurice Vlaminck and André Lhote (fig. 4) or have been previously included in exhibitions that now have become almost mythical, like African Negro Art at the MOMA (New York, 1935), before they drew the attention of Joseph Mueller and his son-inlaw, Jean-Paul Barbier, many years later. Baga art was recognized early in the development of By Elena Martínez-Jacquet
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