With the passage of Susanne Wenger, popularly known as Adunni Olorisha at the ripe age of 94 on Monday, January 12, 2009, a significant chapter has closed in the history of the preservation and promotion of the cultural heritage of the Yoruba. Wenger worked selflessly and tirelessly to preserve aspects of the myths and legends of the Yoruba culture as represented in her monumental work in the New Sacred Art Movement as well as the collections of carvings at the Osun Osogbo Sacred Grove. On occasion of her 85th birthday anniversary, OYERONKE OLAJUBU wrote an essay, The place of Susanne Wenger's art in Yoruba religion as a tribute to Wenger's commitment and dedication to the cause of the African cultural heritage. An excerpt from the essay is reproduced below:

A close relationship could be identified between art and religion across history. Art could serve as a means of expression in religion as well as an object in the process of worship. Art and religion sometimes exhibit similar features. In addition, meanings derived from and functions ascribed to both do sometimes overlap. Thus, the relationship between art and religion could be regarded as being polemic. Art like religion could be regarded as a means of revelation. Like religion, art re-creates by offering a set of symbols of our own being, of community and of the sacred. Again, like religion, art heals and recreates, just as it offers categories for evaluations in the society.

The precinct of the connection between art and religion seems largely confined to rituals in religion though not exclusively so. Ritual space provides the avenue for the expressions of art in religion. These would include verbal arts (recitations, songs, praise and worship) and visual arts (sculptures, paintings and decorations).

Four categories of relations between religion and visual art have been identified. One is a style with no ultimate concern and content without religious subject matter. This could be described as secular art geared towards entertainment and relieve of tension in the society. Two, is art with a religious style and a non-religious subject matter. This category of art would emphasis the divine in any subject matter seeking to locate the religious in a secular subject. Three, is art with a non-religious style but a religious subject matter; thus seeking to place and situate a religious subject in a secular setting. Four is art with both a religious style and a religious subject matter. This category of art would be concerned predominantly with the deity, in style and content. African art until recent times would fall within the fourth category as all subjects of art were processed through the lenses of religion.

African culture was intrinsically woven with African religion; art was therefore a mediating factor within both religion and culture in Africa. The predominant bearing of rituals on art in the African milieu becomes even clearer with the appreciation of the fact that both art and religion were considered twins of the same transcendental offshoot. Thus for most Africans, visible forms were but mirrors of the unutterable myth of earth and heaven reflecting on each other. If art expresses reality in images and religion expresses ultimate reality in symbols, then religious art expresses religious symbols in artistic images. Art as a means within religion could therefore be designated ritualistic art. If the human mind is to enter into the multidimensional experience, it must necessarily go through the media of ritual and art i. e. ritualistic art. This is because art and ritual constitute the bridges over the chasms that split the dimensions of humanity's total existence, which has been fissured by pseudo-enlightenment.

A combination of art and ritual remains indispensable to communication between humans and the divine in Africa. The ritual space is therefore the meeting point for the finite and infinite and art occupies a significant place in this enterprise. Most African art were ritualistic, some remain so even today and serve as manifestations of African ideas, philosophy and religion.

The Yoruba are more apt to think of art as an act of creative imagination (oju ona) executed with skill and an understanding of the subject rather than seeing art as an object. For the Yoruba then, artistry is the exploration and imaginative recreation of received ideas and forms, usually from the divine. Art is a vital part of being and creativity is associated with the divine. This is underscored by the people's worldview and cosmic experiences as recorded in oral texts, especially the Ifa corpus. A prime place is therefore accorded to oral traditions in any artistic enterprise among the people. The interrelationship between art and religion among the Yoruba is profound and it has been suggested that one could be taken as a pictorial abstraction of the other.

The permeating influence of religion on every sector of the people's lives manifest in works of art as naturalistic tendencies. This artistic naturalism could be taken as not only a matter of form but also of content and as implying a naturalistic philosophy, which is rooted in the people's cosmic experiences.

Moreover, art has always been a relevant component of Yoruba religion and culture. This is reflected in the various works of art identifiable in the history of the religion and works of art in the religion today. Such include paintings on walls, batik designing, pottery, sculptures, songs, dances, poetry, and decorations. Art was employed to achieve different pursuits in Yoruba religion traversing aesthetics and functional realities. The beauty of oral poetry renditions is not lost to any keen observer of Yoruba religion neither can one fail to appreciate the significant yet aesthetic designs made on traditional adire clothes in Yoruba land.

Art in Yoruba religion often gives credence to individual capabilities and creativity. Each artist develops his/her style. In addition, certain styles of art could be classified along regions in Yoruba land due to semblances of stylistic signatures. Instances of wood carvers who could be identified based on style are known as well as regional classifications of wood carving due to semblances of stylistic signatures. The same is true of the verbal arts where tonal variations often exist from region to region in Yoruba land.

Flourishing in the Yoruba religious space are arts of various styles and forms, which often exhibit a strong link with rituals and mythology. Examples include, hunters who recite oral poetry regularly as part of their vocation; women who design the traditional adire cloth; women who paint and design places of cultic worships; sculptors who make sculptural images for deities and wood carvers who produce relevant images in the religious space. Furthermore, art functions as a means of communication in Yoruba religion. The visual and verbal arts serve as means through which tenets, practices and injunctions of the religion are proclaimed and appreciated.

Wenger was born eighty-five years ago in Graz, Austria. She arrived Nigeria in 1950 and this marked the beginning of her involvement with Yoruba religion. Prior to this however, she has always been strongly attracted by nature, especially the divine nature of trees. She solitude in nature while growing up and this has remained an indispensable source of energy for her till date.

According to Wenger, "the life of an artist is beyond time, devoted to one single and complex work into which every change simply brings rebirth in the same circle of being." Her training in Europe and involvement in religious art among the Yoruba confirm this submission of hers. Every change in her location, experience and production of art has simply brought rebirth unto her and those who encounter her in Yoruba religion. Before coming to Nigeria she had exhibited her works in Paris, Zurich, Austria and other parts of Europe. Most of her artistic efforts before arriving Nigeria in 1950 were paintings done on canvas. Because she is interested in the primary concern of all religions to effect communication between the divine and humans, it was not out of place for her to fit in so naturally into Yoruba religion. Ajagemo, a high priest of Obatala, introduced her to Orisa religion in Ede and it was at Ede that she began her artistic works for the gods. The first of such works was the reconstruction of the Soponna cult at Ede and subsequently the renovations of the shrines of other gods in the osun grove at Osogbo Her main work over the years has been the constant reconstruction, renovation and preservation of the shrines and groves in the Osun Osogbo grove. She has produced works of art that protects the grove from intrusion and decay. Examples include sculptured walls and added strikingly eclectic structures, which are as tall as trees in the grove. For her, art cannot be disconnected from its religious functions because creativity is part of ritual life. The fusion of art and religion is at the core of Wenger's art and the singular purpose of her work is to protect the sacredness of nature. Her works present to us a mixture of architecture and sculpture. The shrines of the gods are for them a ceremonial home while the sculptures embody their myths. Embedded in these myths are characteristics and taboos of each god. Wenger seeks to reflect these features as much as possible in her sculptures of and for the gods. As an artist involved in the production of ritualistic art, she lives intensely in the "archaic continuous dimension of being."

Wenger has been differently described in various sectors at diverse periods. While some see her as an artist utilizing her abilities toward a laudable goal, others view her with suspicion and scorn. For some, she remains a suspect for it is out of the ordinary and normal course of events for a white lady (oyinbo) to live like she does. Her mode of living is like that of any adherent of Yoruba religion with little attention given to luxury. Yet in other quarters she is regarded as a profound and troubling enigma, full of apparent contradictions. These contradictions are often regarded as products of her double citizenship, Yoruba (Adunni) and Austrian (Susanne). Implications arising from such contradictions also point to issues of identity as well as the dialectic interplay of tradition and modernity. It seems beyond dispute that in Wenger a mesh of tradition and modernity is to be found. Her identity as a Yoruba/Austrian artist employing a modernist mode of art construction for reinventions in Yoruba tradition and religion postulates a negotiation between tradition and modernity. Moreover, her art for the deities of Yoruba land are conveyors of a transmission that is neither traditional nor modern. Hence there is a seeming correspondence between her personal identity and the identities emanating from her works of art, both being recreations that are neither old nor new but unique in essence. Whatever stand one takes on the personality of Wenger, one thing remains indisputable; this is her sincerity and commitment over the years in the Yoruba religious space. This is clearly illustrated in her works for the gods and her unreserved involvement with the religion and its operatives.

Her works

Symbolic decorations of the sanctuaries of the gods/goddesses and places of worship are a normal practice in Yoruba religion. These symbolic decorations are done on doors, doorposts and often times the walls of the sanctuaries. In addition to this, emblems were predominantly employed as representations of the gods/goddesses being accorded worship.

For example Osun's (the goddess of the osun river) emblems include small pots for fetching water (oru), brass (ide), and beads (ileke); for Ifa (the divinity in charge of wisdom), the divination tray (opon Ifa) is adorned with emblems, such as the face of Esu.

The site where Wenger carries on her work of art is the Osun grove. This seems to suggest conformity with the Yoruba belief that the forest is the abode of spirits and the supernatural beings as opposed to the town where social and economic concerns prevail.

The Yoruba belief on the forest/grove as the abode of spirits is reinforced by notions of secrecy, which assumes knowledge, and by implication power. Often referred to as Igbo Imole, only initiates (awo) have access to such forests while the non-initiates (ogberi) are excluded. A vivid portrait of this Yoruba belief is utilized in D.O. Fagunwa's novel titled "Igbo Irunmole" (Forest of a Thousand Spirits). This Yoruba belief is also recorded in oral text such as this: Igbo ma ya 'tun/ Ma ya 'si/ Ki o ma ba kigbo/

Ebora ke bora. (The forest of don't turn right, don't turn left, so you will not be harmed by the spirits).

Some scholars of Yoruba Studies submit that these weird spirits in Yoruba belief could have informed Wenger's sculptures in the Osun grove. They contend further, that though her work is grounded in Yoruba myths, such myths do not belong to the main stream of Yoruba mythology. As a consequence of this, stories depicted in her paintings and sculptures are uncommon. They hinge their argument on the fact that Susanne's use of sculptural forms in Yoruba religion is a contemporary development in and its interpretations are limited to a small number of people because of the obscurity of the foundational myths on which they are based. This they explain with a Yoruba saying: Ko s'eni mo/Ede ayan bi eni/Ti o mu popa e lowo. (There is none who knows the language of the drummer like the one who holds the stick used in beating the drum).

They argue further that her art is better likened to that of an oral poet, which changes with each performance.

The main features of Wenger's sculptures are life size or larger figures and bulging eyes. Both features are known characteristics of Yoruba art, in the pre-colonial times and presently.

According to W. Fagg "Nok and Ife art are alone in Africa in having produced near life size human figures in pottery." Hence, it would not be accurate to suggest that the presence of life size figures in Wenger's art is at variance with Yoruba art.

In addition, another scholar, Babatunde Lawal postulates that bulging eyes are signs of spiritual power in mythology and religious experiences depicting a higher consciousness. He confirms that bulging eyes appear in traditional Yoruba sculptures. It would seem that the prevailing feature of Wenger's art align with traditional Yoruba art. Nonetheless, the submission by these scholars that only the artist could offer a precise interpretation of any work of art remains valid. Moreover, Wenger's art exhibit other features apart from those that would be found in traditional Yoruba art. Her figures are usually larger than human figures neither do they depict human features. The nearest explanation from Yoruba belief system would have to be that her arts refer to a class of spirits referred to as "iwin" (frightening spirits). Susan however insists that her sculptures are products of meditation and germinate into forms, which are not pre determined. She maintains that these sculptures are representations of deities and records of mythology but not presentations of "iwin". Since the artist has the privilege of providing the precise interpretation of her/his work in Yoruba belief, her explanation would have to remain.

Sculptures

Wenger's interest in sculpture pre-dates her visit to Nigeria in 1950. She did sculptured pots in the school of art where she trained in Graz, Austria. Her interest in sculpture arose alongside her impatience with the stiffness of the canvass, which somehow offended life's naturally flowing spirituality. Sculptures by Wenger in Nigeria began as shrine repair efforts in Yoruba religion. Many of these sculptures and architectural works can be found in Osun groves depicting various myths about different gods/goddesses in an aesthetic manner. Her sculptures within the Osun groves deserve our special attention.

Her first cement sculpture was not done within the precinct of the Osun grove; it was done at Ede. This was the new shrine of Obaluaye, known as "Idi Baba" (At the feet of the Father). In response to the cry of help from the priests of the sacred Osun River, Wenger left Ede and began her sculptural and architectural work in the osun grove at Osogbo. It is pertinent to state at this juncture that she works sometimes with assistants in the restoration of these shrines within the grove. Most of these assistants are artists and adherents of Yoruba religion. Together with Wenger they started the new sacred art which is modern art in the ritual service of Yoruba religion and philosophy.

Though these artists are traditionally cultured men and women with no exposure to exhibitions or books of art from overseas, their art like the gods/goddesses are alive to the circumstances of the present time.

Some of the sculptures produced by Wenger and her assistants in the Osun grove at Osogbo include:

Ontotoo: means Onto, or totofun, which refers to a kind of frog and a respectful greeting to the deities. Before the Yoruba immigration, ontotoo was the goddess of the original inhabitants and represented her person in the trinity of earth, air and water. She is presently one of the tutelary internal guardian deities in the palaces of the Ooni (the king of Ile-Ife) and the Ataoja (the king of Osogbo).

In the Ogboni cult, she is a very senior deity in the heavenly abode (orun) and with the Iya mi in her entourage she represents the paradox in the sacred psychoid of Oro. She is known in Osogbo as the protector of the para-human inhabitants (Oro) in traditional population. But in many Yoruba towns, she is not publicly known. Curses change to prayers and prayers to curses in the vicinity of her shrine. This explains why devotees going to river Osun or the farm but passing through the vicinity of her shrine must not nurse their babies nor soothe the weeping child. These value reversions on behalf of this powerful goddess, hint at her implicit importance.

Wenger's sculpture for this goddess is overwhelmingly concerned with the Iledi Ogboni, which is approached through gates with totemic posts, carved of wood showing different figures. Common to the figures are bulging eyes, which is symbolic of realities within an archaic but continuous perspective. The sculptured walls enclose conical shaped entrances on both sides, which conveys to one a feeling of rapture and mystery. At the entrance three roofs representing archaic kinds of lizards associated with the ideology of primordial ancestry is to be found. Pillars that are actually the robust legs of the elephant representing Obatala's animal aspect support the entrance. The inner sanctuary of the Ogboni shrine portrays vividly the fecundities of the earth goddess as Susanne depicts this in form of a womb with inbuilt seats.

Obatala: is the god of purity representing the ethical dimensions of reality hence he is called the god of whiteness; white here being the summation of all colors in light. It was to Obatala that Olodumare, the Supreme Being delegated the duty of forming the solid earth and the physical features of human beings as is reflected in some Yoruba cosmic myths. The Obatala shrine is made up of conically shaped huts on the walls of which are symbolic representations. Such include bulging eyes, spiral vegetative forms and interwoven forms. Natural vegetation could be seen clinging to the shrine while monkeys, birds and other animals visit at their pleasure. A three meters high sculpture of Obatala in an atonement posture is to be found in the shrine. His bulging eyes signify knowledge, wisdom and creativity. The shrine also accommodates the egbe cult room made up of vegetation forms presented as arch curves over an open tray like area where offerings are made. The egbe phenomenon is to be closely linked with the Abiku syndrome i. e. born to die children who are strongly attached to their otherworldly playmates.

Iya Moopo: This goddess is in her domestic role the protector of all women's crafts and trade, but she is a potter woman. Her ancient image is an edon (sacred bronze casting) where she holds one child clinging to her breast upright, and the other strapped to her back with his/her head downward, feet pointing up. She also represents the ancient trinity of the female. Areas under her jurisdiction also include childbearing and care. For this goddess who manifest different dimensions of reality all in unison has been produced a sculpture called Ebu Iya Moopo. Ebu Iya Moopo is really a shrine, which houses the magically potent symbols of the goddess. The sculpture comprises of delicate forms and outlines, depicting the mystical virginity of the goddess, which remains unsolved. There is an inner room inside her matrix with the form of a snail shell, and a stair leads upward in a spiral. We find a pair of birds sitting on her bosom and hanging head down on her back. The sculpture has three pairs of slender outstretched arms, the first, to receive, the second, to give out sacred fecundates and the third, is the Ogboni fist- over-fist-symbol gesture implying sacred togetherness.

Noticeable on the sculpture are three bulging eyes placed on a bird like figure presented in a ready to fly state. On the backside of this large sculpture is a curved arm reaching into the ground like a tentacle, which may symbolize nourishment and stability all linked to the earth and by implication the ogboni, which is the earth cult. At the base of the sculpture are wave like patterns that could be likened to the river movements, hence a link to Osun. There are other alters on the sacred pottery - field. One of which is consecrated to Ela who is Ifa's sacred principle of clairvoyance in his pubescent phase. The sculpture of Iya Moopo by Susanne could be described as an embodiment of myths and identities.

Documentation, preservation and the proclamation of Yoruba religion are strongly embedded in her sculptures of/for the gods/goddesses, and this necessarily expounds the honor and reverence due to these deities. The result of this is a daily "aliveness" of the religion among its adherents who are Yoruba, other Nigerians, and Non Nigerians. It has been possible due to this "aliveness" of Yoruba religion to hand over the religion to coming generations despite their exposure to western education and civilization. Hence today, among practitioners of Yoruba religion we find lawyers, doctors, academicians, architects and engineers to mention but a few.

Concluding Remarks

Motivations and objectives are strong determinants of the mode and form of religious art among the Yoruba. Wenger's sculptures in this regard are no exception. The motivation for and objective of her art are deeply embedded in a religious commitment, which uses art as a means of communication and preservation. Her art aid the preservation of fast disappearing myths, beliefs, and practices of Yoruba religion. Concomitantly, these sculptures proclaim Yoruba religion to observers. Revitalization is thus an integral part of her art by seeking to resuscitate the dwindling attention accorded Yoruba religion in Nigeria.

The focus of Wenger's art informs its mode of production, which is a combination of art and architecture. The forms of the sculptures are wholly organic, with components used in proportions determined by religious injunctions. The cement is mixed with a prescribed amount of the grove's red earth. Birds, monkeys and snakes live in them and moss and lichens cover them.

It is important to note that art is a potent means of communication and preservation in Yoruba religion as exemplified by sculptures produced for deities by Susanne Wenger and her assistants in the osun grove at Osogbo, Osun State, Nigeria. These sculptures proclaim and record Yoruba myths and deities at once and in so doing contributes to the aliveness of Yoruba religion worldwide.

• Courtesy of Ijele: Art Ejournal Of The African World (Issue 5 (2002) - See original document below (with pictures)

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Source: THE GUARDIAN NEWSPAPER

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