In an interactive scenography, you will experience the universal dimension of the exhibition. To begin, the Wheel of Protection offers luck, love, fertility, power… It’s up to the visitor to associate these requests with amulets and talismans from various sources. The search for protection is timeless and global, as humans are aware of the passage of time and the dangers that threaten them.
Thus, protective objects, statuettes of protectors, and recourse to specialists demonstrate the human desire to control one’s destiny.
Different visions of the world and the body produce unique techniques of prevention and care. In China, the body is a miniature model of the cosmos; it is treated holistically. The aim is to promote the proper circulation of energies. Science and classical Chinese medicine, religion, and magical rituals intertwine, testifying to a world filled with connections. The names are numerous, the roles different: shaman, medicine man, healer, ombiasy, etc. Contemporary portraits present these men and women who continue to be the link between the worlds, seeking help for the living from invisible entities.
It’s up to you to spot the odd ones out on these superhero posters from Benin, South Africa, Ethiopia, and India! The codes of representation are universal.
These modern-day superheroes, however, come from their own unique and ancient culture; they are transmitters of traditions. These protectors have an educational purpose: in comics and on television, they explain the past to young people and embody solutions to societal problems.
When the game is over, characters and fabulous animals accompany the deceased into the afterlife. Archaeological objects from China illustrate this constant desire for protection, even after death.
Then, ancestors represented by statuettes and reliquaries from the Democratic Republic of Congo and Gabon remind us that everywhere, dialogue continues between the deceased and their descendants. Ancient and contemporary civilizations on display: China, India, Japan, Nepal, Indonesia, the Philippines, Madagascar, Ethiopia, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Gabon, Cameroon, Nigeria, Burkina Faso, Ivory Coast, Algeria, and Niger.
This exhibition showcases the museum’s collections and new donations. Thanks to Anne Depigny, a great friend of the museum, for her loans.
