Harvard Business School Announces New Sculpture on Campus, Sentinel (Mami Wata) by Simone Leigh
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BOSTON—Harvard Business School (HBS) announced today the addition of a new sculpture to its campus, Sentinel (Mami Wata) by artist Simone Leigh, as part of the School’s ongoing outdoor contemporary art program. This exhibition is made possible by the generosity of Bridgitt (MBA 1986) and Bruce Evans (MBA 1986) and through the establishment of the Bridgitt and Bruce Evans Contemporary Art Fund at Harvard Business School. Sentinel (Mami Wata) will be on loan to the School through 2027.  Simone Leigh, Sentinel
(Mami Wata), 2020–21. Bronze, 194 x 64 x 28 inches. Loan of Bridgitt and Bruce Evans. © Simone Leigh 2022. Originally commissioned for the exhibition Prospect.5 in New Orleans, Leigh’s 2020-21 bronze sculpture Sentinel (Mami Wata) is a work that invites reflection on the way African cultural symbols traverse the African diaspora, shifting and metamorphosing as they intersect with local traditions. Leigh describes the sculpture as “my interpretation of a West African water spirit, a deity who has destructive powers as well as creative-generative ones.” The work takes as inspiration the figure of Mami Wata, an animistic deity that is celebrated throughout Africa and the African diaspora, including the United States, the Caribbean, and Brazil. Mami Wata is expressed in unique ways and called different names in various cultures throughout the diaspora as syncretic religious contexts have merged her persona with Christian saints or indigenous spiritual figures. However, her essence as a beguiling water spirit endures across geographies. Representations of Mami Wata often take the form of a mermaid or snake charmer, an amphibious corporeality that emphasizes the fraught relationship between people of African descent and water in the aftermath of the transatlantic slave trade. “We’re thrilled to be able to show Leigh’s Sentinel (Mami Wata) here on the HBS campus,” said Melissa Renn, collections manager, HBS Art and Artifacts Collection. “Situated in Mellon Courtyard, near Mellon Hall, which houses Executive Education participants; Wilder House, where current MBA students visit for career and professional development support; and the newly named Cash House, which houses our Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, the exhibition is a great opportunity for our diverse community to experience a sculpture by one of the most significant artists working today.” Born in Chicago in 1967, Leigh creates objects and environments that center Black life and interrogate stereotypes associated with Black women. In her sculptural practice, Leigh draws on materials and forms traditionally associated with African art to investigate the intersection of cultures and geographies, and to explore ideas about the female body, race, beauty, and community.  Simone Leigh, Sentinel
(Mami Wata), 2020–21. Bronze, 194 x 64 x 28 inches. Loan of Bridgitt and Bruce Evans. © Simone Leigh 2022. Leigh represented the US at the 59th International Art Exhibition of La Biennale di Venezia in 2022. In 2023, the first comprehensive survey of her work will open at the Institute of Contemporary Art in Boston. Leigh has had solo exhibitions at the Hammer Museum, Los Angeles, and the New Museum, New York. The Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum in New York organized her 2019 solo exhibition, Loophole of Retreat, following her award of the 2018 Hugo Boss Prize, and her work can be found in private and public collections including the Guggenheim Museum, Hammer Museum, and Pérez Art Museum, Miami. She is represented by the Matthew Marks Gallery. “We are extremely grateful to Bridgitt and Bruce Evans for their generous gift, which established our newest contemporary art fund,” said Gabe Handel, assistant dean for administrative and educational affairs. “Art like Sentinel (Mami Wata) can inspire people to think creatively, question their assumptions, and imagine new possibilities. We want people to engage with the various pieces across campus, take the time to reflect on their meaning and importance, and consider the role of art in their lives.” HBS collects and exhibits contemporary art to create an engaging and stimulating environment for the community and those who visit the campus. More information on the art program can be found on the school’s website for contemporary art at HBS, which includes a map featuring sculptures currently on display across the HBS campus. |
Media
Mark Cautela
mcautela+hbs.edu
(617) 495-5143
HBS Art Collection & Program
Melissa Renn
mrenn+hbs.edu
(617) 384-5657
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