Exhibitions

Art of Being Tuareg: Sahara Nomads in a Modern World

October 10, 2007 – January 27, 2008

Woman's bracelet, 1980s El Hadj Tchab, Ouhoulou Silver Iris & B. Gerald Cantor Center for Visual Arts at Stanford University, Committee for Art Acquisitions Fund. 1997.58

National Museum of African Art
950 Independence Ave., SW
Washington, DC

Sublevel 2

See on Map Floor Plan

This first major exhibition in the United States examines the historic and evolving culture and arts of the semi-nomadic Tuareg people of Mali, Niger, and Algeria. More than 200 works—selected from major collections and dating from the 19th century to the present—include jewelry, bags, containers, and saddles made of leather, gold, silver, and fabrics. Also on view are musical instruments, photographs, and several videos revealing insights into their lives (e.g., a desert wedding and a family making jewelry).

Catalogue (limited number available)