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United Kingdom
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Fine Art Paper
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8 x 12 in ($48)
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White ($80)
Ngombi is the name given to the eight stringed harp used in the African shamanic tradition of Bwiti. She brings the feminine energy of Bwiti ceremonies, and her strings convey the voices of the Ancestors. Played with force and speed, for hours on end, along with percussion and the voices of the entire village. She is instrumental in helping the Banzi (a person initiating into the tradition) on their great journey with the sacred plant, Iboga. During initiation, the Banzi will have the harp played directly on to, and in to, different points of the body, including the crown and heart and third eye. This is depicted in this painting, as the Spirit of the harp whispers instructions to the Ngombi, who in turn instructs the Harpist, allowing the Banzi to hear the communications of their Ancestors. My own journey with this instrument and this music began after first eating the sacred wood, Iboga, central to the tradition of Bwiti. This music captivated me, and spoke to me like no other music has done. It led me to travel to Gabon in central Africa, to undergo my first initiation into the tradition in 2012. The harp player depicted in this painting is called Mutoba, and was my first teacher of this instrument. This painting is one of a tryptic honouring the music of Bwiti. The original paintings have bespoke, heavily textured frames constructed using wood and paper maché.
Print:Giclee on Fine Art Paper
Size:8 W x 12 H x 0.1 D in
Size with Frame:13.25 W x 17.25 H x 1.2 D in
Frame:White
Ready to Hang:Yes
Packaging:Ships in a Box
Delivery Time:Typically 5-7 business days for domestic shipments, 10-14 business days for international shipments.
Handling:Ships in a box. Art prints are packaged and shipped by our printing partner.
Ships From:Printing facility in California.
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United Kingdom
"My vision of life is one of wonder and awe. Colourful, deep, and endlessly interesting if you have the curiosity and courage to look from unusual angles, and it is to be lived and loved as fully as you can." Born in Australia and schooled in Nigeria, Scotland and England, adventure and travel have always featured in Ben’s life. He searched for inspiration and escape from the mundane through extensive periods of travelling, with extreme sports and extreme partying featuring prominently. He funded this, after art college, by first working as an architectural model-maker, working on many high profile projects including The Millenium Dome, Tate Modern, The V&A Museum extension, and the Sydney Olympic Stadium. As the new and emerging CGI (computer generated imagery) software began taking over the industry, he relearnt his trade and became a 3D artist. He lived the high life in London and New York, working on high profile advertising campaigns and after a few years, became a Director of CGI company. But after twenty years of working on and creating other people’s visual ideas, and despite being at the top of his game, he realised that something important was missing. He quit, and the adventurous spirit that had always been part of him took him on an extraordinary journey of self-discovery to reignite his personal creative vision. On the way he found Nature to be his greatest teacher, and has undergone a number of initiations into indigenous traditions, studied meditation and Taoist arts. This shows in the way he incorporates different and often natural elements, such as feathers, bones, seeds and wood, into sculptural paintings and works representing the preciousness and sacredness of each moment. Mometo is a name given to Ben in the African spiritual tradition of Bwiti. He continues to return to Gabon when he can, learning the music and culture of this tradition. He lives in a magical Dartmoor forest, spending time in the woods every day. But despite his best efforts to live a quiet life, he can still be found dancing or DJing at parties and festivals or doing strange spiritual ceremonies, usually in a jungle somewhere far away.
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