Q: Can you help me solve my boyfriend’s question whether or not these are evil? Rebecca, 932
A: This is not evil– just a waist of money. Decorative wall-hangings like this have been sold in airports all over Africa since the 1950’s. These carvings are meant for tourists and have little in common with traditional art. Thus the name “Airport art.” The Mask Man gets photos of this kind of stuff frequently and I always answer the sender’s questions, but never post them for others to see. I broke my rule today because I’d like to encourage interest in real African masks. Authentic folk art is much more satisfying than tourist junk. D
