Tom Joyce, Striking Iron’s lead curator, is an artist and MacArthur Fellow trained in the art of forging iron. Drawing on his hands-on experience and insights into the techniques and stylistic specificities of African blacksmiths, he helps us look closely and appreciate the exceptional artworks on view. Joyce has conducted fieldwork in Mali, Burkina Faso, Ghana, Togo, and the Republic of Bénin and brings three decades of research into African ironworks to his narrations.
Click on the images below to view the video.
Forging: The Blacksmith’s Tools
2:40 min.
Narrated by Tom Joyce. Photograph by Tom Joyce, Yohohou, Togo, 2008, © Tom Joyce; video by Peter Kirby © Fowler Museum at UCLA; video by Steven Feld, Yohohou, Togo, 2008 and Tcharé, Togo, 2010, © Steven Feld, courtesy of VoxLox Media; video by Anne-Marie Bouttiaux, Kunima, Burkina Faso, 2012, and Indieli-Na and Konko, Mali, 2011, © Anne-Marie Bouttiaux, courtesy of Royal Museum for Central Africa, Tervuren, Belgium; excerpt from Dokwaza: Last of the African Iron Masters, 1988, video by D. Paul Morris, Nicholas David, and Yves Le Bleis, courtesy of Nicholas David; excerpt from Black Hephaistos: Exploring Culture and Science in African Iron Working, 1995, video by Nicholas David, courtesy of Nicholas David
Yorùbá artist, Nigeria
2:10 min.
Narrated by Tom Joyce. Photograph by Henry J. Drewal, Nigeria, 1977, Henry John Drewal and Margaret Thompson Drewal Collection, EEPA 1992-028-6606, Eliot Elisofon Photographic Archives, National Museum of African Art, Smithsonian Institution; video by Peter Kirby © Fowler Museum at UCLA
Fon artist, Republic of Bénin
2:10 min.
Narrated by Tom Joyce. Photograph by Tom Joyce, Hountondji Compound, Republic of Bénin, 2010, © Tom Joyce; video by Peter Kirby © Fowler Museum at UCLA
Igbo artist, Nigeria
:56 min.
Narrated by Tom Joyce. Photograph by Herbert M. Cole, Ezeagulu Aguleri, Nigeria, 1983
Courtesy Herbert M. Cole; video by Peter Kirby © Fowler Museum at UCLA
Topoke or Lokele artist, Democratic Republic of the Congo
1:24 min.
Narrated by Tom Joyce. Video by Peter Kirby © Fowler Museum at UCLA
Nkutshu artist, Democratic Republic of the Congo
1:03 min.
Narrated by Tom Joyce. Video by Peter Kirby © Fowler Museum at UCLA
Bells Made by Kabre and Ewe Peoples of Togo
Blacksmiths in the south and north of Togo forge instruments used in their communities. Kabre blacksmith Kossi Kao and his assistant Essozimna Ide produce a bell (ekpande) performed in male initiation ceremonies. Ewe smith Galbert Atakpa and his colleague Hodenou Noglo forge a double bell form (gangokui) renowned in music ensembles internationally for its tonal range.
Bells
5:16 min.
Bell (ekpande)
Kabre peoples, Togo
Blacksmith: Kossi Kao
Striker: Essozimna Ide
Bellows operator: Pouwero Yao
Video by Steven Feld, Tcharé, Kuwdé, and Kawa, Togo, 2010
Edited by Jeremiah Ja Richards; local assistance from Paketam Kourakoma and Kouwenam Basseliki.
Double Bell (gangokui)
Ewe peoples, Togo
Blacksmith: Galbert Atakpa
Bellows operator: Hodenou Noglo
Video by Steven Feld, Yohohou, Togo, 2008
Edited by Jeremiah Ja Richards
Double Bell (nengbongbo)
Mangbetu peoples, Democratic Republic of the Congo
Excerpts from Orchestre Mangbetu and Mangbetu, filmed by Gérard De Boe, Zaire, 1954
© and courtesy Gérard De Boe Estate, Belgium
5:16 min.
Mbira performer: Zivanai Masango
Performance by Zivanai Masango, video by Robin Truesdale, Colorado, 2018, courtesy of Zivanai Masango and Robin Truesdale; mbira group performance, Harare, Zimbabwe, 2011, courtesy of Mr. Gift Mugwidi
