Art that Heals

This book demonstrates the difference between westerners' passive admiration of representational images and the intense interaction with art characteristic of native African and American cultures. It examines a variety of colourful, compelling objects: church frescos from the 15th to the 20th century, processional crosses, drawings, codices, and icons - all used by the clergy of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church not as passive objects but as active forces to heal the sick. In particular, the book provides a fascinating analysis of key examples of the beautiful parchment scrolls used from the 18th to the 20th century.
The book is published to coincide with an exhibition that opened in spring 1997 at The Museum for African Art, New York.