Gallery Conversation

Join RISD Museum curators and staff for a discussion about the Head of a King (Oba), a bronze sculpture made in West Africa in 1700s. In 1897, following unsuccessful attempts at annexation, British forces sacked the Benin Kingdom, burning cities, forcing the reigning king into exile, and looting works of art and other treasures in a campaign known as the Benin Punitive Expedition. Soon after, museums and individuals throughout Europe and the United States began collecting Benin bronzes. Learn about the museum's work as we confront the history of this sculpture and consider what responsible reparation might look like.
Free with admission.