26 AXES AND ADZES Paris—From June 20 through July 31, Galerie Ratton will focus on two types of objects: axes and adzes. These object types are rarely featured in galleries, even though they exemplify the talent and skill of both blacksmiths and sculptors and can have formal qualities, fi nesse, and elegance that can rival great statuary. Axes and adzes are most typically the tools of artists and other woodworkers, but in Africa, when they are especially elaborately crafted, they can be elements of chiefl y regalia. In such examples, their decorative qualities provided a visual power that enhanced the prestige of dignitaries, who carried them over their shoulders as symbols of status. In addition to the African examples, the exhibition will also include ones from Oceania, where adzes were also frequently used in ceremonial and prestige contexts and even as currency. YORUBA DIVINATION Paris—Galerie Bovis, where the staging of several thematic exhibitions each year deserves ongoing recognition, has announced a new show titled Divin Yoruba (Divine Yoruba), on view through July 4. Divin in French can mean both “divine” and “diviner,” and the exhibition will feature a group of important Yoruba works from Nigeria that relate to the sacred, refl ecting the show’s title. The diversity of the objects that are being presented—bowls, twin fi gures, scepters, etc., made of equally diverse materials such as bronze, wood, and ivory—refl ects the complexity of Yoruba beliefs and cults, each of which requires distinctive paraphernalia. The exhibition is to be a rare opportunity to explore a fascinating universe of the divine and to discover the unique qualities of the artworks rooted within it. NEW GALLERY Brussels—Since October, African art collectors in Brussels likely will have noticed that the Sablon district has become home to the new RB Gallery. The two-letter moniker represents the initials of its creator and director, Roger Bourahimou, who was born in Kisangani in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of Congo. He has been well known since the 1990s both for his knowledge of the art of his native land and for his ability to fi nd old pieces for French and Belgian collectors and dealers. He opened his fi rst gallery with his friend, Renaud Riley, in the Sablon area in 2007. Called 2R Ritual, they participated in several important fairs, including BRUNEAF and Parcours des Mondes. Their partnership ended in 2012, and Bourahimou worked from home for two years. The opening of this new gallery represents the beginning of a new phase for him, a serious undertaking supported by his experience and knowledge in the fi eld. We wish him great success. ART in motion ABOVE: Interior of RB Gallery during its opening in the Sablon district of Brussels. © David Norden. ABOVE LEFT: Adze/rod of authority. Bamana, Mali. Wood, metal. H: 52.8 cm. © Galerie Ratton. BELOW LEFT: Edan ogboni. Yoruba, Nigeria. 19th century or earlier. Bronze. H: 36 and 37.5 cm. © Galerie Bovis, Hughes Dubois. BELOW: Oshe shango, attributed to Abogunde of Ede (Oyo Kingdom). Yoruba, Nigeria. Late 19th century. Wood, beads. H: 53.5 cm. Ex Van Kerckhoven, Belgium. © Galerie Bovis, Vincent Luc.
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