Bozo Fish Puppet, Mali - Large

Description of Significance:

The Bozo people of Mali are renowned for their expertise in fishing and boating, and their annual catch is a significant export for the country. The name "Bozo" derives from the Bambara word for straw house, in reference to the temporary fishing camps where they reside.

In addition to their fishing skills, the Bozo are also known for their colorful puppets. These sculptures feature moving parts and are used during harvest and fishing celebrations. The fish sculptures are capable of producing a clicking sound as their fins can move, which classifies them as puppets. These fish have some age but were sculpted for decorative purposes.

This piece is remarkable because the fins, spikes, and tail all move as a puppet.

Country of Origin:

• Hand carved in Mali

Dimensions (inches):

• Length: 50"
• Width: 8"
• Height: 16"

Sustainable Materials & Display:

• Paint and stain
• Indigenous wood
• Installed wire for easy wall hanging. Please let us know how you would like to hang the fish on the wall. This piece can hang either nose up or tail up.

About Decorative African Art:

Hemingway Gallery only purchases pieces from artists or owners that we approve of historically and aesthetically. These might include artworks that have been newly created and are currently being used in ceremonies. We place high value in these pieces, despite their lack of age and antiquity, regarding them as real even though they are not old. Some are created for use by the people and not made for the tourist trade. Ours are by talented artisans creating fine art that reference historic styles. Newly produced African art is gorgeous and we value these pieces. This includes contemporary aesthetics from the continent that may not necessarily look traditionally ‘African’. Our goal is to represent design in Africa that goes beyond the idea of ‘tribal’ as the styles of emerging artists are ever evolving.

Our Pricing:

Our pricing correlates directly to the asking prices of artists, artisans and art dealers in the various African countries we collect from and the costs of importing their artwork to the U.S. We need to change the idea that artists should be paid pennies for their fine art just because it comes from Africa. Paying a fair price to our artists is our number one priority and our pricing reflects that.

Shipping:

• Shipped with FedEx Ground: $150
• We ship around the world! Our website is still new and is not yet processing automatic international shipping rates. Please contact us directly for custom shipping quotes outside the mainland USA (including Hawaii and Alaska).

Further Information:

Please email us at info@hemingwayafricangallery.com or call 212-838-3650 with the SKU # for further information on this piece.