RITUAL BRONZES 47 be realized on a limited budget and some pretty serious organizational constraints. For those reasons, I chose objects that were nearby. Luckily, that did not mean that I had to compromise on quality, since Belgian collections include many of the fi nest ancient Mande sculptural objects. T.A.M.: Public praise for the show was unanimous. How do you account for the enthusiasm it elicited? B.dG.: Not much is known about the show’s subject matter and that in itself makes it attractive. I also think that visitors were surprised and excited to have the opportunity to experience hitherto unobserved relationships between the wood, bronze, and terracotta statuary of the region. They do indeed display astonishing formal relationships. SERGE SCHOFFEL - Lobi T.A.M.: This is the fi rst exhibition you have produced outside your gallery. What was different about it? S.S.: The only signifi cant difference was that the objects in the show were from a private collection rather than being mine. Otherwise, I proceeded as I normally do, trying to make the best possible selection from a large corpus of material and taking a very personal approach. T.A.M.: What is it about Lobi art that appeals to you? S.S.: I love the intrinsic qualities of ancient Lobi art—its soul, its eclectic yet somber forms, and its emotional depth. It’s not a pretentious art form but it’s still diffi cult to understand. It’s not yet greatly valued by the market, and that only reinforces the attraction it holds for me. T.A.M.: What do you take away from this experience? S.S.: I am grateful for the public’s recognition, of course, but to me, this exhibition has been more about wonderful human interaction, both with collectors and with the author of its accompanying catalog, Viviane Baeke, who produced a remarkable work on a particularly complex subject.
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