Ancestral figures, objects of magical power, masks, and insignias of secret societies—African objects are imbued with purpose and intrigue. Their significance for Westerners has changed dramatically from the time when they were viewed as anthropological artifacts; today they are seen as works of art. Here, new photography records the movement of people, styles, and ideas that have passed through sub-Saharan Africa in concert with the main rivers that flow through it. Those rivers played a significant role in the shaping and spreading of the worldviews of the peoples who inhabited it and the art they created.
