The Kota (or Bakota), originating from Gabon, the Republic of the Congo, and Cameroon, are renowned for their reliquary figures made of wood and covered with metal — copper, brass, or iron. Known as mbulu ngulu among the Southern Kota and boho na bwete among the Northern groups, these objects safeguarded ancestral memory and ensured the clan’s blessing. They were central to the Bwete cult, associated with protective and transitional rituals during which essential decisions for the community were made. Alongside these small guardians, the exhibition also features the imposing Mbete statues — anthropomorphic figures that housed relics and magical substances.
The selection includes the main Kota ethnic groups — Manongwe, Obamba, Ndasa, Sangu, Shamaye, and Mbete — highlighting the stylistic, iconographic, and symbolic differences that reflect each group’s identity. Every piece tells a story of migration, spiritual connection, and cultural transmission, revealing how so-called “primitive” objects continue to challenge the conventions of Western art.
Artep – Corso Anastasia 34, Verona
April 18 – May 10, 2025
Tuesday to Saturday, from 10.00 to 13.30 and from 15.00 to 19.00
Closed on Sundays and Mondays
Free admission
Exhibition Catalogue
Vestibulum ante ipsum primis in faucibus orci luctus ultrices posuere cubilia Curae; Curabitur tortor eros, rutrum nec placerat eu, elementum ut libero.
Quisque mattis ipsum non quam egestas, a mattis arcu luctus. Praesent commodo vehicula suscipit. Phasellus a ipsum eu turpis congue posuere vitae et turpis. Sed tempor dui felis, eget dapibus felis vestibulum eget. Donec nec nulla et odio scelerisque volutpat sed a dolor.
Proin lacinia orci libero, sit amet consequat mauris elementum ac. Vestibulum vulputate fermentum ipsum tincidunt at.
Shown for the first time in the United States, this comprehensive collection of ukiyo-e paintings brings the “floating world” and its metropolitan amusements to life.
Duis auctor ornare justo et viverra. Nulla lectus enim, non neque eget, eleifend dignissim quam. Cras cursus nisi eget odio dignissim, eu ullamcorper erat vestibulum. In nec pharetra nunc. Donec vestibulum fermentum quam, nec blandit elit porttitor non.
Duis auctor ornare justo et viverra. Nulla lectus enim, non neque eget, eleifend dignissim quam. Cras cursus nisi eget odio dignissim, eu ullamcorper erat vestibulum. In nec pharetra nunc. Donec vestibulum fermentum quam, nec blandit elit porttitor non.
