mbari

Mbari is a term used for several distinct concepts, spanning traditional African art, a mid-20th-century cultural organization in Nigeria, and a modern oceanographic research institute in the United States. The different uses share no direct relation beyond the shared spelling of the word.

Mbari (Igbo art) refers to a traditional Igbo religious and artistic practice in southeastern Nigeria. It involves the construction of ceremonial houses or shrines, built from earth and plaster and often featuring open walls and richly decorated murals and figurines. Mbari works are typically created as offerings to deities such as the earth goddess Ala and other spirits, and they are produced through communal labor, frequently involving women and artisans. The structures are usually temporary, intended to be ephemeral monuments that may decay or be dismantled after the ritual or festival concludes, rather than permanent architectural monuments. The mbari form is celebrated for its intricate reliefs, narrative scenes, and its role in ritual and community life.

Mbari Club was a prominent avant-garde cultural and artistic club established in Lagos, Nigeria, in the early 1960s. It served as a gathering place for Nigerian writers, painters, musicians, and other artists, and is regarded as an influential site in the development of modern Nigerian art and literature. The club helped foster creative exchange and collaboration during a formative period for the country’s cultural scene, and its legacy is tied to the broader postcolonial emergence of Nigerian arts.

MBARI stands for the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute, a private nonprofit oceanographic research organization based in Moss Landing, California. Founded in 1989 by David Packard, MBARI conducts fundamental and applied research on ocean processes and develops advanced marine technologies, including autonomous underwater vehicles and remotely operated vehicles. Its work spans marine biology, geology, geophysics, and ocean engineering, contributing to deep-sea exploration and long-term ocean observation.