Origin of Lobi Heads-Statues ?

Question

what is the origin of the lobi heads ?

WHY do they look like that? that shape and details ...

when and where are they from?

Thanks ;)!

Answer 1

The Lobi people live in southwestern Burkina Faso and northeastern Ivory Coast.

Lobi sculpture has been widely collected, in part because the figures they carve display the sort of strength of form that is admired by collectors of African art, and in part because the Lobi are such prolific artists and much art has been available on the market. Because each Lobi male considers himself potentially an artist a great variety of styles have appeared, ranging from very abstract, rather rough and stylized to very naturalistic and polished.

Among the Lobi and most other peoples in Burkina Faso, wooden figures represent spirits that men encounter in the wild bush, far from cultivated fields.

In addition to wooden figures Lobi men carve beautiful three-legged stools, sometimes decorated with animal heads, that they carry with them in the evenings when they visit small bars in which sorghum beer is sold. When fights break out, the stools become handy weapons.