This exhibition illustrates how African artists use size and scale—both literally and metaphorically—to communicate ideas.

The exhibition addresses the relationship between objects of various sizes and encourages discussion among adults and children relating to size and scale. On view are very large objects (such as a model of a canoe that is nearly 9 feet long) and tiny objects (such as Akan weights used to weigh gold dust).

"In Africa, there are historical and practical reasons behind some big and small choices," said museum director Sharon F. Patton. "The size of an object may reflect information about the status or wealth of the person who owned the piece or about the availability of materials used to create the artwork."

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