A touring exhibit of multi-ethnic, multi-medium traditional African sculpture and cultural artifacts symbolizing the harmonious and interdependent relationship between humans and animals is on view at the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport T. Terminal upper gallery, from Mid October 2007 through September 2008. The Exhibit which is being provided by Herman Bigham features an impressive and awe inspiring collection of over one hundred and fifty masks and sculptures from West, East and Central Africa. The exhibit provides insight into the world-view, cosmology, philosophies and creativity of numerous family groups and ethnic groupings from those regions.

Herman Bigham is the curator for Herman Bigham and Associates a consortium of preservers, presenters and African Scholars of traditional African cultural arts. He is ecstatic that Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport is presenting this exhibit of their collection. “We did our first exhibit in an airport in Philly, Philadelphia International Airport several years ago during the time of the airline conference of airport exhibit directors.

“The Atlanta airport gallery is incredible. We are in a prime location and thirty-five million people come through there every year. The collection is mind blowing. I just came back from Paris attending a major exhibition that is done yearly featuring fifty of the top galleries from around the world, the material we are offering at the Atlanta exhibition is easily on par or better than much of what was offered at that Paris exhibition.” Bigham shared.

All the artifacts in this exhibit entitled The Symbolic Use of Animals in African Cultural Art come from the private collections of Herman Bigham a Philadelphia native, his friends and fellow African cultural art lovers. Bigham has a special attachment and affinity for African history and culture and an undying passion for sharing and explaining African cosmology so the masses comprehend the profundity of African creativity and culture. “The emphasis of the exhibit while it is called the Symbolic Use of Animals in African Cultural Art is really more about people’s behavior than animals. Africans studied the conduct of animals and used them as symbols illustrate proper values and behavior. What I’d like people to be physically and emotionally moved by the art created by Africans and connected to it culturally so they understand what the sculptures are informing us about the social, cultural and moral issues we confront today. This exhibit shows how Africans see themselves connected to other life form which is different from the West. Here they define themselves as being in opposition to the “beast”. But if you look at the behavior, animals don’t do the types of things we see such as mass slaughter and war. When you look at Western art, and how they depict animals it is always being wild, terrifying or something to be tamed. But I went to East Africa and lived amongst people who weren’t afraid of the animals just like we aren’t afraid of a bicycle. I’ve never seen an African sculpture that depicts an animal in vicious manner.”

Bigham believes his mission is to present African art so the observer has access to the art and the cultural milieu that produced it. He started out seven years ago with several of his friends sharing their art work to create an exhibit to showcase the African genius in a grass roots way. They started out using small venues like neighborhood libraries and cultural centers. The enthusiastic response from the people convinced him there was a need to expand the exhibit and share it with a larger audience. Based upon their success of producing exhibits viewer by over one hundred Thousand people in seven cities in six years, he now uses airports and train stations, major transportation hubs, College Galleries & museums where his sculpture and art can be seen by much larger audience. Exhibiting outside the sterile traditional museum setting, Bigham discovered more ordinary people actually see the exhibit.

Bigham and Associates are a grass roots consortium of cultural preservers. They are self-motivated and passionate about promoting African culture and art. They have produced their exhibits without any foundation financial support or major corporate sponsorships. They know they are fighting against a Western colonial mentality that misrepresents and denigrates Africa and everything African. So they take the initiative to show and share not only their collection but also their knowledge about the people and cultures that produced the art. Their investment has rewarded a new audience with a richer vision of African cultural artifacts in an informal atmosphere, presented in a dignified manner that honors the art and the people who created it. For more information about the exhibit visit http://www.octobergallery.com/bigham/