Skip to content

Self Portrait as Beni (“I Dream Again of Benin”), 1974, Egg tempera, gouache, and collage on paper, High Museum of Art, Atlanta, purchase with David C. Driskell African American Art Acquisition Fund, 2015.74

Self Portrait as Beni (“I Dream Again of Benin”), 1974, Egg tempera, gouache, and collage on paper, High Museum of Art, Atlanta, purchase with David C. Driskell African American Art Acquisition Fund, 2015.74

Audio Description

 

Self Portrait as Beni (“I Dream Again of Benin”) was painted in 1974. It is egg tempera, gouache, and collage on paper. It is in the collection of the High Museum of Art in Atlanta. It was purchased with the David C. Driskell African American Art Acquisition Fund. The accession number is 2015.74

This is a vertical mixed-media painting on paper called Self-Portrait as Beni. Driskell used egg tempera and gouache paint as well as collage. The self-portrait is split vertically in half. On the left is Driskell, depicted in shades of yellow and brown as an ornamental mask from the African nation Benin. The top of the head has a tiara with outlines of figures around the top. Throughout the head and face, Driskell has made tiny lines and marks to mirror the incisions made in Benin masks. On the right is a more modern self-portrait with the artist wearing short hair, a mustache, and a purple-collared shirt. The texture is weathered and worn, as though it is meant to look aged. His clothing features intricate, wavy lines, spirals, and patterns. The background is different on each side, but both have mixtures of curved and jagged lines in white and yellow superimposed on gold and brown surfaces.

Label Copy

 

Self Portrait as Beni (“I Dream Again of Benin”) was painted in 1974. It is egg tempera, gouache, and collage on paper. It is in the collection of the High Museum of Art in Atlanta. It was purchased with the David C. Driskell African American Art Acquisition Fund. The accession number is 2015.74.

Self-Portrait as Beni brings the artist and the ancient Benin kingdom together as one. Driskell visited Benin City (formerly Edo, capital of the Kingdom of Benin) in 1970. Here he combines a modern self-portrait (on the right) with an ancient, ornamental Benin hip mask (on the left). Annotations on the back of the painting include the date of its completion and a poem, “I Dreamed Again of Benin.” With both art forms, poetry and collage painting, Driskell pays homage to the ancient people whose countenances evoke dignity and pride.

Back to African Images     Back to the Audio Exhibition