340 pieces of African Art gifted to American Museum

CAIRO – 12 August 2017: An impressive gift of 340 African Art pieces has been given o the Williams College Museum of Art in Massachusetts, by local doctors Carolyn and Eli Newberger. The artworks date back to the late 19th to 20th centuries, and represent over fifteen different cultures from West Africa, such as the Ashanti and Igbo.

The Newbergers were able to acquire the art during their time as Peace Corps members in 1967, staying for two years in Ouagadougou.

They befriended local Museum curator Toumani Triandé, who introduced them to art from across the region's villages. The 340 pieces include works such as utilitarian tools like sandals made from old tires, to ritual masks and sculptures, which encompass all aspects of West African village life.