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Behind the Mask
African Art from the Ellen Hobb s Collection
and the Kennedy Museum of Art

February 8—May 10, 2008

According to Ellen Hobbs “the face, human or otherwise” is “the most important part of the whole being.” Such a sentiment gives us some insight into her collecting over 500 masks from all over the world that cover the walls of her home in Hendersonville, NC. Mrs. Hobbs is a retired art teacher but that tells only part of the story. She has also earned her pilot’s license and raced a sailboat for over thirty years. She is an avid traveler having visited Europe, Latin America, Australia, Africa and Asia. The richness of her spirit and enthusiasm for discovery is evident in her collecting pursuits.

When the Kennedy Museum of Art at Ohio University decided to exhibit part of Mrs. Hobbs Collection along with a selection of pieces from their own collection they relied on the expertise of Andrea Frohne who teaches African Art at the University. Working with students in a graduate seminar, Dr. Frohne sought to put all of these objects into a holistic context that acknowledged how the arts (i.e. dance, music, object making) in Africa are not seen as separate entities as they are in western cultures. Instead they are more often part of a unified experience. Understanding these masks as part of a ritual or performance is essential to appreciating the cultural, aesthetic and symbolic perspectives and circumstances that are intended.

The masks, on display, come from many different African nations, including Nigeria, Ghana, Mali, Sierra Leone and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Some masks represent the spirit world while others were made to honor ancestors. Certain masks were intended as part of ritual performances known as masquerades which often expressed social expectations and conventions from one generation to the next.

We are indebted to the Kennedy Museum of Art at Ohio University for their collegial spirit and curatorial expertise in assembling this exhibition and providing us with this unique opportunity to bring this exhibition to Auburn University.