Craftsmanship
The character of a handmade object begins long before its final surface or patina appears.
The metal sculptures and carved wooden objects selected by MyDogon are shaped by techniques that require the maker to work directly with the material. The result is rarely perfectly uniform — and that is precisely part of their appeal.
THE LOST-WAX CASTING PROCESS
Many of our metal sculptures are produced using the lost-wax casting technique, a metalworking method with a long history in West Africa.
A form is first modelled in wax. Layers of heat-resistant material, traditionally clay, are then built around the model to create a mould. When the mould is heated, the wax melts and leaves an empty space behind.
Molten metal is poured into this cavity and allowed to cool. The outer mould is then broken away, revealing the cast object inside. The sculpture is subsequently cleaned and finished by hand.
Because the casting process involves several handmade stages, small differences in surface, proportions and detail naturally occur. Even pieces based on a similar motif can develop their own individual appearance.
“AFRICAN BRONZE”
The expression “African bronze” is widely used for cast West African metalwork, but it does not necessarily describe one exact alloy.
The objects can be made from different copper-based alloys containing varying proportions of metals such as zinc or tin. Unless the composition of an individual object has been scientifically analysed, MyDogon therefore uses the more precise description cast copper alloy, commonly referred to as African bronze.
HAND-CARVED WOOD
Wood carving also has an important place within Dogon material culture. Historic Dogon granaries, for example, have used carved wooden shutters, doors and locks decorated with geometric, human and animal forms.
The contemporary wooden pieces selected by MyDogon continue this appreciation of sculptural surface and relief. Tool marks, differences in depth, variations in grain and irregularities in the carving are part of the maker's process rather than signs of industrial manufacture.
INDIVIDUAL CHARACTER
We do not expect handmade objects to look machine-perfect.
An uneven line, a changing patina, a visible casting mark or an asymmetry in a carved surface can all contribute to the presence of the finished piece.
For MyDogon, craftsmanship is not about eliminating every variation. It is about allowing the material and the hand of the maker to remain visible.