Recent research in material culture, particularly within the context of migration, highlights the sociocultural and transnational effects of mobility on artefacts. It advocates for understanding them as conduits for the diaspora of materiality across different spaces and times. In examining the sacred arts of Matriz Africana, it is evident that while objects have indeed travelled between West Africa and Brazil, the concept of diasporic objects is informed by two interconnected aspects. Firstly, these objects are crafted following an ancestral aesthetic, maintaining their form and function despite the shifting societal norms and the rise of secularism, as exemplified by public manifestations during carnivals. Secondly, they are created by communities that identify as diasporic, with a commitment to a steadfast iconographic production of sacred items. Drawing on Latour's notion of "immutable mobiles," this lecture illustrates how the sacred arts of African-derived religions in Brazil navigate through space and time, preserving their meanings with an "optical consistency" that facilitates a degree of enduring sacred art.

Der Vortrag findet im Rahmen des von Ferdinand de Jong geleiteteten Kolloquiums zur Kunst Afrikas statt.

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