34 Likes

Pay the police

Compliments:

	Sylvie: permeating view, very nice work! Posted Jan 22, 2008 10:18am
	artstafa: Congratulation StephenwBennett Wonderful work ... I like it.! Posted Mar 9, 2008 1:10am
	Snježa/painter: Africa is a crib of civilisation and african tradition has something primal and crual, unhuman in itself. Like Inka and Maya civilisations. That is why >I think your people are not real, they shouldn t be. They must be above and beyond human. Posted Aug 13, 2008 5:34pm
	teresa pedroso: The colour eyes of this boy and her blue face are very ... Its dificult to stop looking him (sorry my english ) Posted Aug 15, 2008 12:06am
	E. Peterson: Absolutely riveting! Posted Nov 14, 2008 8:15am

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Uploaded on January 20, 2008
by StephenwBennett

See all of Stephen Bennett's works

Not for sale

About this work:

Paintings and Drawings
Acrylic on paper
64 x 80 inches

Traditionally, Maasai boys have to go through the ritual of circumcision. This boy has his face painted signifying that he has just been circumcised. For the months following the circumcision, the boys wear black rather than the traditional red shukas, and their faces are painted with lines of white, made from lime powder on a cow-fat and charcoal base. The boys spend a period of up to 6 months away from home, marking their transition from childhood. The wording painted often on the forehead of the boys is an attempt to impress their toughness upon those they meet. The title of this painting reflects both the idea of paying the Maasai boy for the painting and the numerous times I was stopped by the Tanzanian police and asked for money. I observed similarities in the iridescent beetles commonly found in Arusha and the shine on the boy’s face, and this idea inspired my palette.