Q: Here are two nice examples of older King Island work. Jim, 1733 A: These two Inuit masks are so good I had to show them to you now. Hopefully, Jim will soon comment on their physical characteristics… and the usual who, what, when, where and how much. A, Bob
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Chhau masks are used by millions
Collectors, galleries and museums are just beginning to discover the importance of this Indian folk art. Chhau has long been very popular. For years the people of Purulia in West Bengal have been making masks used in the Chhau dance — a semi-classical tribal dance of eastern India listed by United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) as intangible cultural heritage of humanity. You might want to take a look at what we posted Feb 25, 2019:https://dev.masksoftheworld.com/chhau-mask-from-purulia-india/ There are many different characters in the Chhau ceremonies. On this page we have three: a lion, the goddess Durga and a male demon. The pandemic that now plagues the entire world…
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Huichol mask from Mexico
From Austria to the Amazon, masks bring out the impulses of creative art. In my favorite foreign country, Mexico, there is an indigenous group living in the remote states of Jalisco, Durango, Zacatecas and Nayarit… called the Huichol. They have a long history of beading, making the beads from clay, shells, corals, seeds and more. In the middle of the 20th century they started to make wood masks covered in small, brightly colored commercial beads fastened with wax and resin. While the materials have changed from natural to commercial, the designs have changed a little, and many retain their religious and symbolic significance. Many outsiders experience Huichol art as tourists…
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Bwa Nunuma mask, Burkina Faso
The Bwa and Nuna live in the dry savannah land of central Burkina Faso. Like other peoples in this area, the Bwa and Nuna seek the help of powerful spirits who live in the wild forests, bush country, and rivers surrounding their villages. The older Bwa masks were made with leaves, feathers and vegetable fibers. They were used in the rituals of the Do initiation society. Later, the Bwa began to carve wooden masks for their rituals, being based on the masks of their neighbors the Gurunsi/Nunuma and their cousins the Bobo. All Bwa masks represent the spirits of the nature who have some influence on the human being. Wishing…
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Nice Chewa mask from Malawi
My first Chewa post was in Jan, 2019: https://dev.masksoftheworld.com/one-of-my-favorite-masks-chewa/ Recently I saw this one and really liked it. If you have an interest in authentic ethnographic masks, especially African, please explore the Nyau society masks of the Chewa in Malawi, East Africa. Masquerade there is still going strong. Bob, 1730
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Pende deformity mask
Q: Here you will find the second mask ‘black and white’. With my best regards. Eduard, 1729 A: It would have been nice if he would have furnished more info such as size, who, when and how much. I’m posting it, along with two different Pende deformity masks, because they are so interesting. There are also a few other places in the world where deformity masks are used in masquerade. Here is some information from the Canadian Museum of History. The mask comes from the Central Pende region in the Bandundu province, in the southern part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. It falls into the category of mbuya…
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Kefwebe mask for a museum
Q: I purchased this Kifwebe mask from the photographer Berenice Abbott in 1990. She said that she traded photographic work for it with an African art dealer in New York in 1932. I have been asked to loan it for an exhibition and it would be helpful if I could supply the museum with some information about its origin. I am not looking to sell the mask. Todd, 1728 A: Of course, your mask made by the famous Songye tribe in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The following description comes from Rand African Art. You can find many more scans and copy with the aid of Google. This Kifwebe…
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New fake of Dan bird mask
Q: A good friend of mine is selling his collection of antiques because unfortunately he has to be admitted to a care home because of his advanced age. He offers me this ‘bird mask'(see attached photos). I like beautiful, old things. I am not an expert on masks at all. It does not seem to me to be a product for the tourists, but to be tribal, ceremonial and ‘old’. Can you help me with the determination and how much can I spend without paying too much? For the time being, I cannot provide you with additional information other than these photos. Eduard, 1727 A: Similar “old masks” have been…
