The Dancing Sowei: Performing Beauty in Sierra Leone

When
Event has passed (Wed Mar 21, 2018 - Sat Mar 2, 2019)
Tags
Museums, Fine Arts Museums

Description

This exhibition focuses on one spectacular work in the Cantor’s collection—a sowei mask, used by the women-only Sande Society that is unique to Sierra Leone. Used in dance by senior women of the society, the sowei mask symbolizes knowledge of feminine grace and is part of a young girl’s initiation into adulthood. Thus, for many women of the region, beauty is literally performed into existence through ndoli jowei (the dancing sowei or the sowei mask in performance). Take an in-depth look at a sowei’s aesthetic expressions of elegance, from its serene gaze of inner spirituality to the corpulent neck rolls that signify health and wealth—a beauty as defined and danced by women.

More Info

Link
https://museum.stanford.edu/exhibitions/dancing-sowei-perfor...
Call
650-723-4177
Email
Contact Form (account required)

Schedule

Cantor Arts Center
328 Lomita Dr
Palo Alto, CA
Event has passed

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Location

  1. Cantor Arts Center
    328 Lomita Dr, Palo Alto, CA