Page 16 - Boca Exposure - February '20

Page 16, Boca Exposure
African Masquerade Rituals And Their Spiritual Realms

Unmasked At Boca Museum Of Art Photography Exhibit

The transformative power of the African masquerade permission from community leaders can sometimes be quite
is represented in a mesmerizing new exhibit at the Boca helpful during these painstaking negotiations,” says Galembo.
Raton Museum of Art, “Phyllis Galembo: Maske,” that will “Once an agreement has been struck, I set my own lighting and
be on view through May 31. This striking photographic place the subjects in front of a neutral backdrop that enables
series of contemporary mask rituals has drawn national and the eye to focus on the diversity of materials in each costume.”
international critical acclaim. The large-scale images are The masks and costumes in these photographs are made
nearly life-size and explore spiritual realms with brilliant, from a wide variety of surprising materials – leaves, grass,
mesmerizing colors. patterned fabrics, burlap sacks, full-bodied crocheted yarns,
For more than 30 years, the artist has travelled around the colored raffia, quills, shells, and even lizard excrement. All of
world to photograph participants in contemporary masquerade her photographs are shot as portraits rather than during the act
events that range from traditional religious ceremonies to of ritual. She is allowed to photograph her subjects at the very
secular celebrations. Her portraits are celebrated by the moment right before their rituals and festivities commence.
world’s leading fine art photography editors for their stunning Galembo prefers her colors to be brightly saturated,
resonance, setting her work apart from documentary and enhancing the spiritual and transformative powers of these
anthropological studies. They will be shown in concert with garments. “I never see my subjects out of costume, although
the museum’s historical collection of more than 40 African the masqueraders are always men, often paying homage to
tribal artifacts and indigenous masks in the gallery across from women,” adds Galembo.
Galembo’s show, for a complementary perspective. Galembo was born in 1952 in New York, where she
Through her lens, the viewer gains special access to rarely continues to live and work. She graduated with a Master of
seen other-worlds, as she captures the raw and sometimes Otoghe-toghe mask costume Fine Arts from University of Wisconsin at Madison in 1977,
frightening aspects of ceremonial garb. Masking is a complex, and has been a Professor Emeritus at Albany, State University
mysterious and profound tradition in which participants and continues today in most cultures, including western of New York since 1978. Her photographs are included
transcend the physical world and enter the spiritual realm. societies,” says Irvin Lipmann, the executive director of the in numerous public and private collections, including the
In her vibrant images, Galembo exposes an ornate code of Boca Raton Museum of Art. “Bringing together the Galembo Metropolitan Museum of Art and the New York Public Library.
political, artistic, theatrical, social, and religious symbolism photographs and masks from the museum’s African collection She is represented by Axis Gallery.
and commentary. underscores the cross-cultural complexity of meaning and Her work has appeared in Tar Magazine, Damn Magazine,
Galembo has made over 20 trips to sites of ritual purpose. However, what they have in common is their vitality, Photograph, and Harpers. She has been profiled on CNN,
masquerades, capturing cultural performances with a power, and boldness of humanity.” NPR Radio and NBC Today. Other collections that feature
subterranean political edge. Her photographs depict the The costumes in these photographs are worn in several types her work include: Oceania and the Americas, Photography
physical character, costumes, and rituals of African religious of modern-day rituals. They are created to summon ancestral Study Collection (New York); the Philadelphia Museum of
practices and their diasporic manifestations in the Caribbean spirits and deities during a range of events, including agricultural Art; the Houston Museum of Art; the International Center
and Mexico. Galembo’s images reflect both the modern and hardships, land disputes, rites of passage, funerals, harvests, for Photography (New York); the British Art Museum; Yale
ancient worlds. The 15 portraits by Galembo that were selected moments of gratitude and celebration. Galembo’s large-scale University; Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture,
for this exhibition reveal the meticulous detail and creative portraits in this exhibition capture the mask-oriented cultural New York Public Library; Polaroid Corporation (Boston); and
imagination of mask-making. traditions of Nigeria, Benin, Ghana and Sierra Leone. the Rockefeller Foundation, among many others.
“The tradition of masquerading is universal and timeless, While traveling and embedding herself for long periods The Museum’s African Collection
Complementing Galembo’s exhibition are more than 40
in these societies, Galembo works with local assistants and African tribal artifacts from the museum’s collection, including
translators. They negotiate the terms with elders, so that
Poet’s Corner: she may be granted permission to make photos of these headdresses and masks, each pertaining to masquerades and
ceremonies.
masqueraders. “The translators often find that gaining
Ode to the Fight

By Jerry Yass, a Broken
Sound resident. The
following was written by
Mr. Yass on Oct. 28, 2017.

It was August 26, 2017.
Las Vegas, Nevada was
the place to be seen.

It was the night of the big
fight.
To be there in person was
a major delight.
The boxers were McGregor and Mayweather.
They entered the ring and bounced around like a feather.

Our seats were in Row C, right next to the ring.
Two shots of tequila and a Coke did a waiter bring.
Can you imagine that more than 50 million people were
viewing this fight?
And the Yass’s were so close – it was out of sight!

Present were son, Jeff, and Robby, my grandson.
Wow – three generations of Yass’s just having fun!

The fight began and it seemed that McGregor held the
lead for four rounds.
We were so close to the ring, we heard the punches’
sounds.
They parried and boxed and felt each other out,
But it was almost certain that Floyd would win the bout.

Sure enough, it was over in Round Ten.
McGregor was knocked out and bled like a hen.
The noise in the arena was really loud.
It was just one big scream from the crowd.

Until the knockout Jeff appeared to be fretting
Because son, Doug, was in Dublin betting.

End result was a really big win;
Collecting on this bet was certainly no sin.
For me, I wanted to get on my feet and sing,
For this was a most magnificent happening!