Faces of Our Ancestors
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#A001 72” x 48” x 10” 80 lbs.
This heavily influenced African mixed media assemblage work began with my purchase of the antique carved lion head (center right). It came from the Carolands Mansion in Hillsborough, CA.
Carolands, also known as “The Chateau,” was constructed around 1915 and is considered one of the finest examples of French classical architecture in America. Carolands Chateau is a 46,050-square-foot, 4.5 floors, 98 room mansion on 5.83 acres in Hillsborough, California. An example of American Renaissance and Beaux-Arts design, the building is a California Historical Landmark and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Featured in a 1982 documentary film, the mansion underwent a 45 million dollar restoration after 65 years of decline which the Vimeo film described in excellent detail (The heiress closed the house in 1918 after only living in the chateau for two years. Next, the home became dilapidated until a countess purchased it in 1950 to save it from demolition by promoters. It deteriorated once again when the countess was unable to maintain it. During the next decline, a pornographic film was made on the premises. Then, in 1985, a caretaker sexually assaulted and stabbed two teenage girls he had given a tour of the house to while he was on duty. One ultimately died from her wounds.)
Yes, my lion head is a National treasure of uncommon circumstances.
The head started a year-long build of my piece.
My search of “antique African heads” turned up Baboons, Nigerian masks, Moroccan rifles, Tuareg camel bags, shackles from ship slave vessels, ibex horns with ostrich light sconces, bronze cobra sconce, six-inch wild boar tusks… oh, let my journey begin! There are over 45 rare one-of-a-kind objects included in this artwork.
I had to build everything on a flat horizontal plane beginning with the well-used red African tablecloth; by screwing and wiring. I wasn’t able to see this creation until I framed it in rare African Wenge wood. The artwork contains 16 rare masks and skulls. Truly an African talisman of spiritual significance and powerful thoughts.
Please Enjoy
Michael Standefer
Detail 1
Detail 2