WASHINGTON, DC.-Treasures 2008 showcases 74 sculptures made of ivory-a material highly valued universally. These artworks, dating from between the 15th and 20th centuries, range from small personal objects (containers, jewelry) to large public objects (carved tusks, staffs).

Treasures 2008 highlights the extraordinary creativity of African artists and what the original owners or caretakers in Africa deemed worthwhile. The exhibition also reveals the "tastes" of collectors in the United States, 13 of whom are represented in the show. (Many works from the museum's collection are gifts from individuals.)

Some ivories were commissioned by Africans who had high social and/or spiritual status (e.g., kings, queen mothers, priests, elders). Others were commissioned by Europeans who wanted objects that functioned like souvenirs. The most famous of these are the "Afro-Portuguese" ivories, which refute the popular notion that the best African art is that untarnished by European influence or contact. ("Afro-Portuguese" ivories are also displayed across the mezzanine in African Vision: The Walt Disney-Tishman African Art Collection).

The ivory sculptures displayed in Treasures 2008 differentiate "us" from "them"-the indigenous African from the colonialist, the African from outside the culture, the commoner from royalty, the wealthy from the poor. They may denote the original owner's gender and age too.