COMB
[1,2,4,5]: COMB
[3]: A field photograph of Luba people with their signature hair
From: Luba culture, Democratic Republic of the Congo 🇨🇩
Source [1,2,4,5]: @1stdibs (1stdibs.com)
Source [3]: @duendeartprojects (duendeartprojects.com)
Source notes [1,2,4,5]: “Mid-20th century. Ceremonial comb. Made of palm leaf midribs, this large, graphic comb has a pinched waist and is held together with finely wrapped wire. Presented on a custom base, it is a striking example of its type. 12.75 in (32.3 cm) high by 5.5 in (14 cm) wide. Depth: 2 in (5.08 cm)”
Source notes [3]: “The Luba-Shankadi hairstyle in the village of N’Gobo. Photographed by François Léopold Michel in 1899. Image courtesy of RMCA, AP.0.0.1227)”
Observations: functional ornament, transforming material for both utility and form, formal contrast, visual contrast, considering how edges are finished, material as beauty, material awareness, material intelligence.