Weighed in the Balance: Akan Gold Weights February 10, 2012

From the Canadian Museum of Making Collection

Curated by Dr. Daniel Mato

Sponsored by Mallory Alexander & the Honorary Consul of Canada in Memphis, B. Lee Mallory

From the Canadian Museum of Making, comes an exhibition of Akan gold weights. Prior to the 20th century most people engaging in commerce and the trade of gold in Ghana, particularly the Akan people, owned scales and a set of small, decorated weights to conduct business. Though identified as gold, they were actually a copper alloy whose forms developed from simple geometric shapes to complex figurative sculptures.

We will be hosting a free day in conjunction with this exhibition on Saturday February 11.

Official Website: http://www.metalmuseum.org/special_events.html