Mask

Place CreatedLiberia, Africa

CultureWe

Date20th Century

MediumWood, metal, hair, fiber, pigment, bullet casings

Credit LineEx coll. William S. Arnett

Dimensions6 1/2 x 20 7/8 x 16 15/16 in. (16.5 x 53 x 43 cm)

Object number1994.004.607

Label TextThrough bold color and aggressive imagery, predatory animal references, horns, and strange tubular eyes this mask is a visually intimidating presence that harnesses the power of spirits from the wilderness as instruments of proprietary control in the realm of the town or village. Their visual affect was only heightened during performance.

This Wé mask presents a bewildering accumulation of animal references: a fringe of aluminum-silver pseudo-leopard teeth, wild boar tusks, and pointed ears. With its bold color and bullet casings, this prototypical nature spirit mask is wild and menacing, making it a powerful judge during legal disputes and a great motivator of men preparing for battle.

Exhibition HistoryDivine Intervention: African Art and Religion, Michael C. Carlos Museum, February 5 - December 4, 2011
MCCM Permanent Collection Installation, August 6, 2016 - October 17, 2020
Masquerade: Scripturalizing Modernities Through Black Flesh, A Pitts Theology Library Digital Exhibition, Emory University, 2021 (virtual exhibition)

ProvenanceEx coll. William S. Arnett (1939-2020), Atlanta, Georgia.

Status

Not on view

Collections