Out of Africa:
Works From the Hofstra University Museum Collection

The visual arts of Africa are abundant and varied, encompassing many categories of works: body decoration which includes painting, tattooing and scarification, jewelry, dress and textiles; musical instruments; sculptural works which include figures, masks and headdresses; and utilitarian works such as weapons, currency, furniture and implements.  African art is one of the collecting areas of the Hofstra University Museum that has been enriched over the years by generous donors.  

This exhibition showcases masks and headdresses, weapons and tools, and figurative sculpture from nine countries located in western and central Africa.

Democratic Republic of Congo, Yaka
Initiation Mask, 19th-20th century
Wood, canvas, raffia fiber and pigment
H. 30 in
Gift of Josephine and Sol Levitt
HU85.59