masks of the world

Deep red eyes seem all-seeing, their color blazing against narrow cheeks beneath a forehead heavy with repoussé. The elegant mask takes its white tones from applications of clay. "This mask is used during the Nkyidwo festival by the Essumeja people in Ghana's Asanti region. The rituals are held in the Asantemanso forest, a place known to be the ancestral origin of the Asantes. These rituals are performed to invoke the constant protection of the spirit world and the ancestors," Abdul Aziz Mohamadu explains. He names the piece Abanbo – "Protection" in the Akan language.

Singing, he returns to the world as a ghost to watch over his loved ones. Abdul Razak creates this poignant image as an African mask. Carved and painted by hand, the sese wood sculpture receives an aged, distressed finish and applications of white clay.

"The idea behind creating this mask is to let the world know that it is good to let go of any wrong done unto you, rather than paying wrong with wrong," explains Ali Mohammed of his original mask. He carves the wall mask by hand featuring an ornate headdress and embossed aluminum on the forehead and cheeks. He paints it in yellow, blue and black. Mohammed calls his design "Bakomi," which in Hausa means "let go."

Inspired by the Songye people of central Africa, Ghanaian artisan Salihu Ibrahim hand-carves this beautiful sese wood African mask. It depicts a woman's shape with a stoic expression. The Songye people are world renowned for their wood carving skills.

"This mask is a tribute to the history and natural beauty of the African culture. It's about today's evolving culture with ancestral traditions and lifestyle. This piece celebrates the fusion of the old world with the new," says Kennedy K. Aseidu of his original design. Featuring one head, three eyes, two noses and one pair of lips, the sese wood mask is carved by hand and adorned with a jute beard. Painted and finished with clay for an aged finish, the mask is called "Tete Na," meaning "Ancient and Today" in the Twi dialect of the Akan people of West Africa.