The Liberian Mural Relief
A carved relief consisting of 20 panels
Sculptor Alfred Yeagon
Description:
A wall mural consisting of 20 carved panels
Each panel is 10 feet high by 13 1/2 inches wide
Total size:
10 feet high by 20.25 feet wide
Material: Mahogany wood
The Liberian Mural Relief is remarkable for its beauty and grandeur but it is even more exceptional as many works of art were lost during the long Liberian Civil War.
The Liberian Mural Relief, the culmination of two years labor, is one of the few remaining works in existence by the Liberian sculptor and carver Alfred Yeagon, now deceased. The work was never collected for the OAU Conference and was the subsequently forgotten in Mr. Yeagon's workshop until it was rediscovered and purchased, in the 1980's by the current owner, Maria King Wallace.
The Liberian Mural depicts four scenes in the history of Liberia:
- The first scene shows village life - People occupied with daily activities and playing musical instruments.
- The second scene shows the arrival of the slave traders, their ships on the horizon, and men and women, with their children, in shackles being led to the ships.
- The third scene shows the arrival in Liberia of the freed slaves from America petitioning the King of Bushrod Island for land to resettle.
- The fourth scene shows the descendants of the repatriated slaves as educated professionals.
FIRST SCENE
Village Life
Through its vivid imagery, the Relief inspires viewers to immerse themselves in a journey of discovery, understanding, and reconnection – imagining the sounds of the instruments being played. A testament to the power of art.
SECOND SCENE
Arrival of the Enslavers
Yeagon portrayed historical events by way of offering lessons essential for the future shaping of African nations: the inhuman, centuries-long suffering endured by African ancestors, taken away by force to the Americas, the Antilles, and the Caribbean.
THIRD SCENE
Arrivals from the Diaspora
The artist’s work stands as a powerful symbol of resilience, showing the long journey of Africans from enslavement to freedom and the quest, by their free descendants in the diaspora, for a return to the Motherland.
FOURTH SCENE
Aspirations of a People in the Diaspora
This scene depicts the sense of pride and belonging of the descendants of the diaspora and their longing to rejoin and participate in their rich African heritage. It illustrates their great appreciation for their roots and heritage