More than 40 African masks and figurative sculptures from the Ball State University Museum of Art's collection will be on view in the exhibition "Faces and Figures: Sculpture of Africa," Jan. 7 through March 20.

"This exhibition will allow us to showcase the richness of our African collection," said Nancy Huth, assistant director and curator of education, and organizer of the exhibition. "It also coincides with Ball State's observance of Unity Week, which is Jan. 17-22, and Black History Month, celebrated in February, meaning teachers will be able to easily tie the exhibition into related activities."

Teachers looking for related lesson plans can go online for a packet on African art, Huth added.

The exhibition is organized by ethnic group and will feature installations by the Yoruba of Nigeria, the Bamana of Mali, the Baule of Ivory Coast and more. Several recent acquisitions, such as a mask from the Democratic Republic of the Congo (formerly Zaire), and a reliquary figure from Gabon, will be included.

There will be a special reception, which is free and open to the public, from 5 to 7 p.m. Jan. 20 at the museum's Sculpture Court. The Griot Drum Ensemble will perform traditional African music during this reception celebrating the exhibition "Faces and Figures: Sculpture of Africa."

The reception will also celebrate two other exhibitions currently on display in the museum: "A Tale of Two Cities: Eugene Atget's Paris and Berenice Abbott's New York," and "The Chicago Imagists." Refreshments inspired by African and French cuisine will be served.

The museum is located on campus at Riverside Avenue and Warwick Road. Museum hours are 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, and 1:30 to 4:30 p.m. on weekends. Admission is free. For information about exhibition tours for schools or other groups, contact Huth at (765) 285-3372.

Related events, which are free and open to the public, include: 

• "Themes in African Art" lecture: 4 p.m., Jan. 20, Fine Arts Building, room 217. Jacqueline Chanda, the School of Visual Arts, University of North Texas, discusses themes that inspire object making throughout west and central Africa.
• Friday with Friends (Must be 21 to attend): 5-7 p.m., Feb. 4. Early 20th-century photography equipment and materials with artist Pamela DeMarris and a tour of the exhibition "Faces and Figures: Sculpture of Africa." Music and refreshments, including cash beer and wine service, will be available.
• Art for Lunch: "Faces and Figures: Art of the Yoruba": Noon, Feb. 8. Huth will discuss the masks and figures in the museum's collection produced by the Yoruba, one of the largest ethnic groups in Nigeria. Bring your lunch to the museum's Brown Study Room for this half-hour slide talk. Receive an Art Card stamp when you attend this event.
• Gallery Talk: "Recent Acquisitions in African Art": 2:30 p.m., Feb. 13. Museum docent Marcy Hall discusses two new additions to the museum's African collection, featured in the exhibition "Faces and Figures: Sculpture of Africa."

(Note to Editors: For more information, contact Ruta Saliklis, associate director, at rtsaliklis@bsu.edu or (765) 285-5270. For print-quality downloadable photos, go to www.bsu.edu/photoservices, look under "events" and follow the instructions.)