On view in the exhibition Axé Bahia is an Egungun masquerade ensemble from the island of Itaparica in Bahia, Brazil that represents an Egun (ancestral spirit) called Baba Xango. In this gallery talk, Babalawo (priest of Ifá divination) Amos Dyson will discuss the role of Egun in traditional practices of Yoruba religion. Art historian Katherine Smith will then trace the lineage of Egun, which began in West Africa and evolved through a number of Black Atlantic cultures through the Middle Passage.

#CultureFix is a short format, informal gallery talk featuring artists, curators and other luminaries. No reservation required. Culture Fix programs are free of charge.

Parking available in UCLA Lot 4, 221 Westwood Plaza, directly off Sunset Blvd | $12/day

__

About the Exhibition

Axé Bahia: The Power of Art in an Afro-Brazilian Metropolis, explores the distinctive cultural role of the city of Salvador, the coastal capital of the Brazilian state of Bahia and an internationally renowned center of Afro-Brazilian culture. Featuring more than 100 works from the mid-20th century to the present, including a stunning array of sculpture, painting, photography, video, and installation art, the exhibition explores the complexities of race and cultural affiliation in Brazil, and the provoca­tive ways in which artists have experienced and responded creatively to prevailing realities of Afro-Brazilian identity in Bahia.