Dancing in Nigeria
Dancing in Nigeria
Artist
Melvin Edwards
(born 1937)
Date1974-1978
MediumPaint on welded steel, in two parts
DimensionsPart 1: 69 × 86 × 66 in. (175.3 × 218.4 × 167.6 cm)
Part 2: 92 × 71 × 44 in. (233.7 × 180.3 × 111.8 cm)
Part 2: 92 × 71 × 44 in. (233.7 × 180.3 × 111.8 cm)
ClassificationsSculpture
Credit LineCrystal Bridges Museum of American Art, Bentonville, Arkansas, 2017.9
Accession number
2017.9
On View
Not on viewLabel TextThe concept for Dancing in Nigeria developed after Melvin Edwards took his first trip to Ede, Nigeria, in 1970. He was inspired by much of what he saw, including the culture, architecture, dance, and West African music. The artist based this sculpture on drawings and diagrams he created that follow dancer’s movements. Although its form celebrates movement, the sculpture is static – solidifying the fleeting nature of dance. The viewer is meant to move around the work to take it in from a multitude of angles, creating a similar experience to a dancer’s body moving around an audience. Best known for steel sculptures devoid of color, Edwards chose the bright yellow of Dancing in Nigeria during a period of experimentation in his career.
