TOM LEWIS
FIG. 13 (left): Shrine group,
attributed to Areogun.
Yoruba; Ekiti, Nigeria.
Wood, pigments. H: 68.6 cm.
Diana and J. Thomas Lewis Collection.
FIG. 14 (above): Mask.
Bete; Côte d’Ivoire.
Wood, brass tacks, iron, hair, fiber.
H: 30.5 cm.
Diana and J. Thomas Lewis Collection.
119
disadvantaged. Does she
share the collecting bug
with you?
T. L.: Diana has
unlimited tolerance
for the collection, and
I think does share the
collecting bug, but in
more moderation and in a
sensible way.
C. D.: This is a somewhat
standard question, but it
does tell a lot about a collector:
What is your favorite African object in your
collection?
T. L.: I suppose the large Nok on the dining
room sideboard is a favorite. It watches me
closely and does its best to keep me out of
trouble.
C. D.: We are but the temporary custodians
of some of the wonderful African sculptural
language that has so changed the visual
language of the world in the twentieth century.
How do you envision Africa’s influence on our
twenty-first?
T. L.: From here out, I think traditional
African art will hold a place in the art world
similar to what exists today, insofar as it has
earned an appropriate place of respect and
appreciation in relation to the other great art
traditions of the world. What will change is
the significance of the contemporary artwork
from Africa, much of which is fresh and
quite good.
humor and satire along with the hard-edged
tenets of traditional style. Can or do we get
the joke?
T. L.: The Asante, of course, are famous
for their visual puns. Perhaps many other
sculptors expressed the double entendre that
straddled a fence between humor and terror?
C. D.: While on the subject of family, your
wife, Diana, is well known in the community
for her tireless philanthropic work for the