Mokongo
- Artist: Belkis Ayón
- Date: 1992
- Medium: 4 collagraphs on paper mounted on canvas
- Dimensions: support: 1985 x 1375 mm
- Museum: Tate Modern
- Collection record: Tate Modern website
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About this artwork
This is the “Mokongo” by Belkis Ayón. It is a four‑part collagraphic print created in 1991, printed in 1992, and mounted on canvas. The image shows a semi‑nude male figure, Prince Mokongo, seated on a throne, holding a staff, with a white snake wrapped around his leg. A leopard‑skin cloak draped over the figure brings muted colour into an otherwise monochrome composition. It reflects the Abakuá Secret Society, an all‑male Afro‑Cuban belief system. Ayón uses this narrative to highlight the female role of Princess Sikán, challenging the male‑centric view. The piece is a companion to Sikán, another four‑part print, and part of a larger series. The technique requires layering, sanding, and a press, giving the work its textured surface. It offers a blend of spirituality, politics, and cultural history.
See it in person
Mokongo is in the collection of Tate Modern on Bankside, London — free to enter. Point your phone at any artwork there and audioguide.london plays a free audio guide in six languages — no app download needed.
