Book Descriptions:

This book describes the techniques and rituals used by Bamana artists in Mali, West Africa, when they carve sacred sculpture. Chronicling the process of decision-making that results in a commission, it provides a detailed account of the carving process and analyzes its meaning. Sarah Brett-Smith demonstrates that Bamana sculptors compare the process of producing a ritual object to sexual intercourse and to childbirth. She details how Bamana sculptors become great artists, how this process requires a shift from a male to a female gender identity, and why the Bamana believe that an artist must make tragic sacrifices to win renown.




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