African Arts Gallery

Ibeji Statuettes, incarnation of the missing child in African art Yoruba, large, globular almond eyes, deep scarifications on faces, braids arranged into conical buns and identical faces that illustrate the aesthetic traditions in African Yoruba art. Solidly camped on circular supports these naked twins are draped with numerous necklaces of multicolored glass beads, these elements associated with the sacred constitute the "abiku", adornments with the apotropaic function of these effigies " ereU 0022 (statues) of twins. . Chocolate patina, satin, traces of indigo on the headdresses and use of red ochre.
In the language of the people Yoruba , ibeji means twin: ibi for and eji for two. They represent the figure of a deceased twin. These African statuettes named ibeji are then treated as the missing child would have been. It is the mother who has to take care of them; it can wash and feed them regularly. If she dies, the remaining twin takes over. Considered much more than a physical representation of a loved one, the ibedji influences the life of the family, which is why the family continues to pray to him and to worship him and libations.
These pieces are among the most well-known art objects of the Yoruba ethnic group. Indeed, the occurrence of groaning in this ethnic group is stronger than anywhere else in Black Africa. This particularity naturally influenced and integrated their statuary.
There are indeed dozens of different stylistic currents for these famous pieces. A careful comparative study was carried out by Fausto Polo and Jean David in the book Catalogue of the Ibeji