John Skeaping

1901-1980
Akua-Ba
1931

Acacia wood
1117 x 560 x 500mm
Presented by the Tate Collectors Forum 2002 T07862

John Skeaping was one of the pioneers of modern sculpture in Britain. Akua-Ba is arguably his greatest work. It is a supreme example of carving inspired by the African tribal art that had such a profound impact on early modern Western artists. The title comes from the West African, Ashante legend of Akua, a woman who was told by a priest that if she cared for a small wooden doll (dua ba) as if it was her child then she would conceive. This she did, and in time she fell pregnant. Skeaping's interest in the formal qualities of non-European sculpture is evident in the robust simplifications of the carving.