ALUMOS
Makonde artist from Kunduchi, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
Mahogany, including tree bark (lighter on the underside)
c. 1980
Private collection
The artist Alumos has engraved his name and place of residence on the oar of the large figure in this so-called ‘slave boat’. Hand-carved from tropical hardwood or mahogany, the sculpture depicts a group of enslaved African men and women being led away in a rowing boat by two Arab-looking men. The figures’ very pronounced emotions – both the despair of the captives and the indifference of their guards – are brought out particularly well by the beautiful carving and the use of the natural form of the entire tree trunk. This sculpture was commissioned in Tanzania in the early 1980s and subsequently found its way to the Netherlands. Unfortunately, the name ‘Alumos’ has so far yielded no further information about this particular artist or any other works he may have created. Stylistically and geographically, he belonged to a large group of artists known as the Makonde. The 180 cm long and heavy sculpture did not have a stable plinth, which caused it to topple over, breaking several figures and pieces of the very hard wood. The restoration was preceded by the securing and reassembly of the fragments, as can be seen in the first photograph. The broken parts were glued back together under tension using various clamps. A small pin was required to provide structural support for adhering the parts of a broken figure. In consultation with the owner, a new stand was made, on which the entire sculpture now rests.
Haarle, NL/ Berlin, 2025