Fédiofègue "Fédi" Koné had constant problems in casting his Kpelié masks. On images Karl-Heinz Krieg made in 1973 it is documentated, that Fédi placed the casting channels on the front of the face. If he would have placed these channels on the bottom, for example using the side legs as inflow for the alloy, and casted the mask upside down, his cast would have been in a much better quality. Even his late masks show unregular surfaces, gaps and holes.
In interviews with Karl-Heinz Krieg Fédi said, that he was influenced by Zana Quattara, a master Fono from Landiougou. Fédi's late masks are made in similar proportions and with identical decoration elements, like the semi-circle spirals framing the forehead.
In comparisson his early works are more honest and of his own handwriting. They give an impression of something misshappened. Keeping his casting problems in mind, it can be said, that Fédi was not very ambitioned. Though he had artists temper, he explained his bulky style by letting the spirits him doing it this way. No matter of the aesthetic, his objects had a hight spiritual power.
Left: Kpelié mask, casted by Fono Fédiofègue "Fedi" Koné, Fono from Kolia. *1913 +1987. Early work, time of creation between 1930 and 1940.
23,0 x 11,5 x 3,5 cm, bronze alloy.
Literature:
- Wenn Brauch Gebrauch beeinflusst, Markus Ehrhard, page 138 - 141.
Right: Kpelié mask, casted by Fono Fédiofègue "Fedi" Koné, Fono from Kolia. *1913 +1987. Time of creation between 1950 and 1960. Collected by Karl-Heinz Krieg 1968 from Laminé Coulibaly in Gbon.
26,0 x 12,0 x 4,5 cm, bronze alloy.
Literature:
- Wenn Brauch Gebrauch beeinflusst, Markus Ehrhard, page 138 - 141.
Copyright content and images by Markus Ehrhard
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