African instruments make wonderful music. Most people have heard the sound of African drums, but whistles, harps, and rattles are just as important. Instruments are played for serious events like The combination of music, dance, costumes, and actors in a special kind of celebration. During a masquerade people learn about their roles in their community, celebrate changes, and mark important events. performances and Special acts you do on important occasions like births or deaths.. They are also played for entertainment. Many African peoples use their music to talk to their gods and their The people from whom you are "descended," such as your great grandparents. and to ask for help and blessings. They also use the sounds of their instruments to talk to other people over long distances.

African musical instruments are not just to listen to; they are also pleasing works of art. The artists who make them use materials of many shapes, colors, and proportions to create pieces of sculpture. How the instrument looks can send messages in much the same way as the sounds it makes. The form and decoration of the instrument help communicate these messages. Knowing who made the instrument and what they thought about it can also provide clues to what it means. This online exhibition will help you understand the music and messages these sculptures can convey.

The instruments in this online exhibition have been divided into four sections:

SkinsSkins

Strings

Winds

Everything Else

 

Credit Line:
This exhibition was part of "The Heritage of African Music," a collaborative effort with the UCLA Fowler Museum of Cultural History and the California African-American Museum, bringing a comprehensive presentation of the music of Africa and the African diaspora to the Los Angeles community. It was organized by the Los Angeles County Museum of Art as part of its Arts Education Experiences at LACMA and was supported by the National Endowment for the Humanities, dedicated to expanding American understanding of history and culture. Additional funding was provided by The Ralphs/Food 4 Less Foundation. Gallery programs were sponsored by Target.

Exhibitions in the Boone Children's Gallery are made possible in part by the MaryLou and George Boone Children's Gallery Endowment Fund.

Arts Education Experiences at LACMA are made possible through generous grants from Susan Steinhauser and Daniel Greenberg and the Greenberg Foundation, the Annenberg Foundation, The Times Mirror Foundation, and The Streisand Foundation. Additional support was provided by Ronnie and Vidal Sassoon, Rockwell, the Wells Fargo Foundation, Sanwa Bank California, and Toyota Motor Sales, USA.

Curators: Elisabeth L. Cameron, associate curator African art, Jane Burrell, head education department, and Elizabeth Caffry, assistant museum educator.