Coffin in the Form of a Nike Sneaker
1 of 2
Object Label
In some regions of Ghana, it is typical for the shape and style of a coffin to make a personal statement by reflecting the profession, interests, or characteristics of the deceased. The mother of many children might have a coffin in the shape of a hen with chicks. In this case, it is a Nike sneaker, a symbol of status and modernity in the late twentieth century. As people make the transition from one world to the unknown next, an object (a coffin) representing another object (in this case, a shoe) provides comforting familiarity.
Caption
Paa Joe Ghanaian, born 1945. Coffin in the Form of a Nike Sneaker, mid–1990s. Wood, pigment, metal, fabric, 29 x 80 x 22 1/2 in. (73.7 x 203.2 x 57.2 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Gift of Lynne and Robert Rubin in honor of William C. Siegmann, 2000.71. Creative Commons-BY (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, 2000.71_PS6.jpg)
Gallery
Not on view
Collection
Gallery
Not on view
Collection
Artist
Title
Coffin in the Form of a Nike Sneaker
Date
mid–1990s
Geography
Place made: Teshie, Greater Accra Region, Ghana
Medium
Wood, pigment, metal, fabric
Classification
Dimensions
29 x 80 x 22 1/2 in. (73.7 x 203.2 x 57.2 cm)
Credit Line
Gift of Lynne and Robert Rubin in honor of William C. Siegmann
Accession Number
2000.71
Rights
Creative Commons-BY
You may download and use Brooklyn Museum images of this three-dimensional work in accordance with a Creative Commons license. Fair use, as understood under the United States Copyright Act, may also apply. Please include caption information from this page and credit the Brooklyn Museum. If you need a high resolution file, please fill out our online application form (charges apply). For further information about copyright, we recommend resources at the United States Library of Congress, Cornell University, Copyright and Cultural Institutions: Guidelines for U.S. Libraries, Archives, and Museums, and Copyright Watch. For more information about the Museum's rights project, including how rights types are assigned, please see our blog posts on copyright. If you have any information regarding this work and rights to it, please contact copyright@brooklynmuseum.org.
Frequent Art Questions
This work created in the form of a Nike Sneaker by Paa Joe is typical for the shape and style of a coffin in Ghana to make a personal statement by reflecting the profession, interests, or characteristics of the deceased. Other figurative coffins (also called fantasy coffin) that Paa Joe has crafted are shaped like cell phones, lions, airplanes, cameras, birds, fish, Coke bottles, and more.
In this case, it is a Nike sneaker, a symbol of status and modernity in the late twentieth century. As people make the transition from one world to the unknown next, an object (a coffin) representing another object (in this case, a shoe) provides comforting familiarity. This particular one was created for the art market and was never actually used as a coffin. Funerals are often celebrations of the life of the deceased and include feasts. Morning turns to celebration as the coffin is carried to all the places that the deceased would want to say goodbye. Praise salutes, blessings, prayers and hymns fill the air as the coffin is taken to a burial site. In terms of "connecting cultures," it shows how culture, especially material culture, is global today. People use and buy the same brands all over the world.Is this shaq's shoe?
Haha! It's a bit small for Shaq if you ask me! All joking aside this work is actually a coffin intended for burial by Ghanaian artist Paa Joe. In Ghana it is common to make a personal statement by reflecting the profession, interests, or characteristics of the deceased.Other figurative coffins (also called fantasy coffins) that Paa Joe has crafted are shaped like cell phones, lions, airplanes, cameras, birds, fish, Coke bottles, and more.If you had to have a coffin reflect your personal story, and interests what shape would you want it to be?Hmm good question. Probably a barrel of whiskey, with whiskey still in it.You sound like my kind of person!Funerary art, and material culture can tell us a lot about how people lived and worked. You can see some great examples of funerary art in our African Art galleries and in Egyptian art on the 3rd floor. Let me know if you have anymore questions
Have information?
Have information about an artwork? Contact us at