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Briefcase

National Museum of African Art

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Object Details

Undetermined artist
Label Text
Artists in several African countries have appropriated and reinvented the iconic form of the stylish, slim briefcase. Made from discarded sheets of aluminum drink cans and mass-produced grocery containers and then lined with comics, these briefcases are fun, eye-catching and ironic. Crafted from discarded materials rather than leather and fine cloth, the use of industrial goods reinforces the message contained in these symbols of modernization.
Description
Green recycled metal (Heinekin beer cans) briefcase lined with comics.
Provenance
Wil and Irene Petty, Silver Spring, Maryland, -- to 2008
Content Statement
As part of our commitment to accessibility and transparency, the Smithsonian National Museum of African Art is placing its collection records online. Please note that some records are incomplete (missing image or content descriptions) and others reflect out-of-date language or systems of thought regarding how to engage with and discuss cultural heritage and the specifics of individual artworks. If you see content requiring immediate action, we will do our best to address it in a timely manner. Please email nmafacuratorial@si.edu if you have any questions.
Image Requests
High resolution digital images are not available for some objects. For publication quality photography and permissions, please contact the Eliot Elisofon Photographic Archives at https://africa.si.edu/research/eliot-elisofon-photographic-archives/
Credit Line
The Wil and Irene Petty Collection
Late 20th century
Object number
2008-5-35
Restrictions & Rights
Usage conditions apply
Type
Sculpture
Medium
Metal, paper, plastic
Dimensions
H x W x D: 35 x 8.5 x 38.4 cm (13 3/4 x 3 3/8 x 15 1/8 in.)
Geography
Senegal
See more items in
National Museum of African Art Collection
National Museum of African Art
Topic
Writing
Record ID
nmafa_2008-5-35
Metadata Usage (text)
Usage conditions apply
GUID (Link to Original Record)
http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ys7956307ac-d810-4bb1-83db-fcb67b425046

Related Content

  • Beer in the Smithsonian's Collections

There are restrictions for re-using this image. For more information, visit the Smithsonian's Terms of Use page .
International media Interoperability Framework
IIIF provides researchers rich metadata and media viewing options for comparison of works across cultural heritage collections. Visit the IIIF page to learn more.
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