Mbol Ofika Figure Analysis

The word Mbole means “people of the downstream.” The people of the downstream is a fairly accurate name because the Mbole are located just south of the Congo River. The second largest river in the world covers a vast area of territory and along that territory are people that live above and below the stream. The Lengola, Metoko, and the Yela people just to name a few. These people are very close to one another and although there are differences across each group in areas such as food, culture or lifestyle, one aspect that is similar about these groups is their art. In many societies, especially now a day in the 21st-century art is a subject that has taken a backseat in many schools and in society in general. There are few art classes that

At first glance, the Mbole Ofika figure looks like an ordinary sculpture that anyone can encounter at the local museum, but these figures were made and hold a great value to Mbole society. Also, the figure is tougher to find than one may imagine. The Yela people also have Mbole sculptures but the only difference between their sculpture compared to the Mbole is that theirs has a rounder face, whereas the Mbole’s sculpture has more of a heart shape face. The Mbole Ofika Figure is a 3-dimensional wooden figure that was made in the Democratic Republic of the Congo in central Africa. The University of Iowa happens to have one in its collection. When viewing the figure’s composition it is very hard not to notice the placement and visual elements of its head. The repetition and contrasted elements of the figure’s head are interesting because of the convex and concave patterns with an added spotlight of white pigment. The eyes and the nose are very narrow and the nose of the figure is protruded in the shape of a triangle. Ofika figures are small, light in weight and can be held by just about anyone. The balance of the figure is great and the figure easily stands in place on its two legs when placed down. The contrast in the figure varies from medium to dark brown and sometimes can be as dark as black. The University of Iowa has a black Ofika figure in their