“The Myth of the Journey to the World to Come” – Congo

Large sculpture of an ancient, four-legged reptile with the figure of a man on its back. The front portion comprises a large head/skull whose mouth is opened to reveal two lines of teeth. A gaping hole serves as the nose and two sunken eyes contain pupils made of glass. On the reptile’s back rests a man on his knees: In one hand, he holds a red, square-shaped heart, while the other hand rests on one knee. Around his waist is wrapped a rope for decoration, and his elongated head turns to look behind him. The reptile’s tail is shaped like the head or mask of a man; from its open mouth peeps a small tongue. The sculpture represents the ancient myth, common to many cultures, concerning the transition from the earthly world to the next one.