The Afreaks Mini Mushroom is an exclusive ART FOR CHANGE commission designed by the Haas Brothers created in collaboration with Monkeybiz, a non-profit collective of craftswomen located in the Khayelitsha township outside Cape Town, South Africa.
Each limited edition sculpture designed by the Haas Brothers has a bronze base and a "mushroom cap" that is intricately hand-beaded by Monkeybiz. Beads, originally thought to possess spiritual energy in African culture, imbue each mini mushroom with spiritual energy of traditions past, and symbolize a powerful connection between two like-minded artistic groups.
Haas Brothers
Afreaks Mini Mushroom, 2021
12"h total, dome dimensions: 7.8" x 3.9"
Bronze base with hand-beaded dome
Limited edition of 50
Numbered and stamped Haas Brothers
The Afreaks Mini Mushroom is based on the Haas Brothers' original 7-foot sculptures. The Afreaks series of fantastical creatures are adorned in beads by Monkeybiz, who lovingly call themselves the Haas Sisters. Not only are these joyful creations a symbol of unity, the Afreaks hand-beaded projects also provide a source of income for Monkeybiz and the craft women's communities. The Afreaks series was included in Beauty at the Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum, New York, and at the San Jose Museum of Art, California. In December 2018, the Haas Brothers' first museum retrospective Ferngully opened at The Bass Museum in Miami, Florida. Their work is in the permanent collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Los Angeles County Museum of Art.
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