masks of the world

Taking a cue from the elaborate masks worn by many cultures around the world, Thai artisan Somyot Sawasdee creates the original design of this mask with intricate tribal markings. He recycles paper with cement and finishes the wall mask with green and gold paint, creating the illusion of an aged bronze piece. Features a hook on the back.

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.

Determined to make her way in the world as an artisan, Ghana's Victoria Agyepomaa designs fascinating masks. This mask is carved by hand from sese wood and then painted in bold shades of brick red, yellow and black. Embossed aluminum adorns both cheeks as well as the forehead of the mask. The narrowed eyes of the original visage seem to be staring intently at the viewer.

Cats have been associated with the divine in many parts of the world. Artisan Nengah Sudarsana of Bali alludes to this with this suar wood sculpture. He beautifully details the dark mask and paws of the lovely kitty.

The tigrillo or oceotl was known and revered as the jaguar in pre-Hispanic Mexico. "The ancient ones considered these cats gods, symbols of power and government, related with the night and the other worlds," say artisans from the Angel Cerón Artisan Association. They depict the feline as a handcrafted mask of their own design.