Nike Coffin from Ghana
In some regions of Ghana, it is typical for coffins to be shaped and styled to make a personal statement about the traits and interests of the deceased. However, I was unaware of this fact when I first came across this coffin during our night at the Brooklyn Museum. I simply saw it as this extremely small coffin in the shape of a Nike sneaker.
I became especially confused when finding out that this piece of art was in the Arts of Africa collection. As a result, when I first came across it, I tended to focus more on the aesthetic traits of the piece. I was immediately captivated by the amount of detail put into this object made out of wood, metal, and pigment. Perhaps the only two things separating this coffin from an actual shoe from Nike was the size of the coffin and the actual texture of the piece, which seemed to look more like plaster.
The piece caught my eye not necessarily because it was large but because it was not large enough. The coffin seemed to be less than four feet long and three feet wide (and definitely had less space than that inside of it). That pretty much indicated that this coffin probably was not intended to actually serve its original purpose but be more of a piece of art.
In terms of what the coffin itself represented, the sculptor, Paa Joe, said that it stands as a symbol of status and modernity in the late twentieth century. According to Ghanian beliefs, the coffin represents an object of interest to the deceased so that it can serve as comfort for the deceased to pass on to the next world. However, for me, the coffin is more of an aesthetically pleasing piece rather than an object that serves as a bridge to the next world.
Wow! This is a very interesting piece that unfortunately I have missed during our night at the museum. I think it is really fascinating that such a sorrowful concept as death can be turned into a joyful and aesthetic representation of life. I must agree with you and state that we tend to look at pieces that are more aesthetically attractive to our eye, and undoubtedly, aesthetic attractiveness is one of the reasons that certain art forms are being exhibited in museums. However, once we understand the purpose and origin of the art piece, its meaning becomes much more significant, just like with this Nike coffin. While reading your review, I couldn’t help but think of how production and advertisement in the 20th century influence a person’s interests to the extent that it also influences the art that is being created. With this Nike coffin, we should be able to recognize the fact that Nike must have left a strong impact on the culture of Ghana.
Thank you for sharing!
Thanks for sharing this post! This really relates to my interests in sneakers and almost makes me believe that if I were to live in Ghana this would be my coffin! Curious whether or not the coffin was just for an artistic purpose of if the deceased person was actually this small; possibly a child. Maybe the family put so much effort and detail into this coffin to mourn the early death of a family member. This post really makes me think. Thanks again for sharing!