AFRICAN ART ON DISPLAY AT UNIVERSITY : ALUMNUS LENDS CULTURAL ITEMS TO CAL LUTHERAN LIBRARY SHOW.

Byline: Gloria Gonzales Daily News Staff Writer

Jim Gulbranson will barely miss the 50 pieces of African tribal art on loan to the Pearson Library at California Lutheran University.

After all, the artwork represents only a small portion of Gulbranson's collection of West African carvings, masks, statues and fetishes.

``I have about 300 pieces that I've collected over a period of 25 years,'' said Gulbranson, a member of the university's first graduating class. ``We tried to pick a variety of pieces that showed a cross-section of styles from this area and time period.''

Jerry Slattum, art department chair, worked with Gulbranson to cull pieces for an exhibit commemorating February as Black History Month at the university.

The works, on display today through Feb. 22, range from face masks to life-size wooden sculptures. Most of the masks and smaller animal sculptures are mixed-media pieces made of wood, hair, cloth, feathers and horns.

``I look for pieces that have interesting detail and uniqueness,'' Gulbranson said. ``I want pieces that jump out at you when you look at them and make you say, I've never seen anything like that before.''

Gulbranson, whose home is overflowing with art and artifacts from his preferred countries and eras, began collecting African art about 25 years ago when he met an art dealer who traveled regularly to West Africa.

Gulbranson has never visited Africa himself, but he fell in love with the works displayed for him by the West African dealer who visited Gulbranson's haunts - art and antique stores.

``He would disappear into Africa for long periods of time, and then return with new things,'' Gulbranson said.

``He and I developed a relationship over the years, and he understood completely the kinds of pieces I was interested in. He made regular trips to West Africa and brought back things that he picked especially for me.''

The relationship, and Gulbranson's collection, grew, until the art dealer disappeared on a buying trip about 10 years ago.

``I had loaned him some money and he had stored some pieces with me as collateral. The pieces were much more valuable than the loan,'' Gulbranson said. ``But I never saw him again. I don't know if he was killed during unrest or became ill or what. I never heard from him again.''

``I didn't buy as much African art after that,'' he said.

But by the early '80s, political strife and customs crackdowns made importing African tribal art more difficult and expensive.

Drug smugglers, tribal prohibitions on selling or exporting pieces, and popularity also combined to increase demand and cost of African tribal art, he said.

``Drug smugglers started drilling holes in large, wooden sculptures and filling them with drugs,'' he said. ``Then customs impounds the piece, which is already damaged.''

Gulbranson said he understands a tribe's desire to treasure its artifacts, but added that most of the pieces he collects are everyday items.

``These are good-luck charms and fetishes that were a part of everyday life,'' he said. ``They aren't religious artifacts and most are turn-of-the-century items, not ancient ones.''

Rising costs also curtailed his collecting.

``Now, I've been priced out of the market,'' said Gulbranson, who estimated the value of the collection at $500,000.

Most of the pieces displayed at the university date from the late 19th or early 20th centuries, he said.

Gulbranson said he loves collecting, but he also likes to plan an exhibit. He hopes to someday give the entire collection to California Lutheran University.

``Some of these pieces have been seen at shows throughout California, at several universities and galleries,'' he said.

An exhibit also gives Gulbranson a chance to review his holdings and take some pieces out of hiding.

``I've filled our house with works, and now I have a lot of things stored at my business,'' said Gulbranson, who sometimes rotates works through his home. ``My wife tolerates it, after years of marriage. I think she's beginning to understand.''

THE FACTS

The Gulbranson collection will be on display in the Pearson Library at California Lutheran University today through Feb. 22. Hours are 1 p.m. to midnight Sunday; 8 a.m. to midnight Monday through Thursday; and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday and Saturday. The exhibit is free and open to the public. For information, call [phone].

CAPTION(S):

Photo, Box

Photo: (color) Jim Gulbranson displays items from his extensive collection of West African art, 50 of which can be seen at Cal Lutheran University.

Box: THE FACTS (see text)

Tom Mendoza/Daily News