The maestro’s room (2)
Cross-cultural gaze－Africa and other regions

This year, along with the art collection bequeathed to our museum by Goldberg, we will be showcasing selected items from the former possessions of Goldberg, held by The Music Research Center at Tokyo University of the Art. Over the course of three exhibitions, we will feature mainly the objects he kept close and cherished.
The first installment presented items related to Asia and Oceania, while the second focuses on pieces connected to Africa and other regions. Traditional masks used in African tribal ceremonies and human-headed figures—believed to be memorial sculptures representing the deceased—feature bold stylization and abstraction in their human forms. Such abstract modeling likely reflected Goldberg’s artistic preference in visual art. Although their exact places of origin are unknown, the bird sculptures and small equestrian figures are charming works characterized by rounded, simplified, and abstract forms. These pieces not only aroused deep curiosity about other cultures but also perfectly matched the taste of a man closely associated with artists of abstract expressionism.
His fascination with different cultures extended beyond visual art—naturally, it also encompassed music. Among the maestro’s collection are instruments such as the thumb piano (kalimba), originating in Africa, and the traditional Andean percussion instrument, chajchas. In his lifetime, Goldberg might have set aside his bow to play these exotic instruments for his family and friends, delighting them with playful renditions of faraway sounds.