Customer Reviews

Astonishment & Power: The Eyes of Understanding: Kongo Minkisi / The Art of Renee Stout

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This book takes on a very difficult subject, African fetish statues, and with the help of wonderful photo plates, and a discussion of African American artist Renee Stout's contemporary interpretations of the subject, the work explains brilliantly the meaning of some of the most extraordinary works of art produced by humankind. Have you ever wondered why pins are stuck in voodoo dolls? Read this book and enrich your understanding.

When I was younger growing up in Detroit, I remember there was an artist that took an abandoned house and placed all sorts of toy dolls around it. People use to call it the Dollhouse. I am not sure if it is still there but I was really fascinated by the oddity of it. Being a folk artist myself, I use to draw and paint things as a child of similar nature that people called weird. It wasn't until I read this book that I began to understand where I was getting my inspiration from and possibly what the Dollhouse meant. It was coming from an unexpressed part of my Spirit. At least that is how I interpreted.

I am extremely grateful for this book because the authors do a superb job trying as best they can to explain the aesthics of Kongo medicines of powers or charms (minkisi). It also highlights the extraordinary works of Renee Stout, which as I have already mentioned above, helped me to understand the Kongo spirit within.