Photographs © Tim Hamill
GOGO, MBIRA 2, 15x12.5", $500, SOLD, Tanzania
Mbira are among the art forms in Africa, used both as a musical instrument and as a work of sculpture significant in many ceremonial functions, including dance, rituals and story-telling. Our selections are mostly abstract, with sounding chambers, sounding holes and metal or cane keys. They are played with the thumbs, hence the term "thumb pianos". None of our is complete enough to be considered really playable.
This mbira still has the thin white fiber membrane that resonates with each stroke.
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