TRIBAL PEOPLE
T.A.M.: So there was just one step from
discovery to collecting?
Y.-B. D.: I have always lived surrounded by
works of art. As soon as tribal art was no
longer terra incognita, works began to enter
my collection. I started very modestly with the
acquisition of a Solomon Islands shell pendant, a
stylized representation of three beautiful frigate
birds.
T.A.M.: If Oceanic art was your fi rst love, have
you remained true to it?
Y.-B. D.: Oceania unquestionably remains my
fi rst area of predilection. How many times have
I dreamt of being aboard the Endeavour with
Captain Cook and exploring the Pacifi c Ocean!
But I am not one of these methodical major
collectors who follows a systematic plan (and
I know several), nor am I one who attempts
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to assemble an entire corpus of works of some
particular style. My acquisitions are the result of
chance encounter and an emotional response.
Over time, of course, and a bit of experience
coupled with a great deal of reading, my taste
has evolved. I am currently leaning toward a
more brut style, a shift in my interests from
Polynesia toward the Sepik River and a growing
appreciation for African art.
T.A.M.: What relationship do you have with the
objects that make up your collection?
Y.-B. D.: To me, my objects are media—
incitements to imaginary voyages. It’s about
waiting for everyone to be asleep, picking up an
object or a book (and a fi ne Burgundy also never
hurts), and pondering these other places. I’m
sure other collectors can relate to this.
T.A.M.: Have these travels always been
solitary, or do you have any favorite traveling
companions?
Y.-B. D.: Tribal art has enchanted me for the
last twenty years of my life, and I certainly have
not gone down this path alone. Citing names
is always a challenge, but while I am noticing
that people like Guilhem Montagut, Charles
Wesley-Hourdé, and Lucas Ratton are currently
FIG. 7 (left): Shield, gula or
ugula. Sukuma, Tanzania.
Ex Marc and Denyse Ginzberg.
Photo © Paul Louis, Brussels.
FIG. 8 (below): Shield.
Aceb, Indonesia.
Photo © Paul Louis, Brussels.
FIG. 9 (right): Votive panel,
gope. Papuan Gulf, Papua
New Guinea.
Photo © Hughes Dubois.
FIG. 10 (right): The
collector’s home with a
Moba fi gure from Togo that
belonged to Willy Mestach
in dialog with a work by the
same artist.
© Tribal Art magazine.