Three Faces of African Art

The theme of masking is prevalent in all of the areas of Africa we have studied thus far. These masks cover a wide range of uses and styles, making the art form one that is remarkably versatile but still one that translates across many cultural boundaries.

The first mask I’d like to focus on is the wooden helmet masks used by the Senufo people of the Ivory Coast region of Africa. These masks are actually more helmet like in function and have a large rectangular cut out n the center where the wearers face can poke through. On top, there are representations of either a male or a female with “concentric ringlike upper torsos without arms” and pointy hairstyles that resemble rooster’s red combs. These masks are used specifically for killing witches and are thus loosely tied to divination.

Second is the naturalistic work of the Ife in Nigeria. They have a particularly well defined realism to their naturalistic works in this community, and even drill holes in areas around their terra-cotta and brass castings so facial hair can be attached to make the art appear more realistic. This shows their true dedication to getting their subjects represented faithfully. These are usually tied to kingship or family.

Finally, the Kuba people of Zaire have some beautiful examples of the more eccentric and dramatic grotesque masks in their artistic repertoire. Their mask representing the sprit Bwoom is covered with many textures with cowries shells, beads and many different carving patterns as well as a protruding forehead representing a hydrocephalous bulge possibly. Though this mask is more bright and flashy, it still has many realistic elements, too. These masks were tied to kingship in particular. 

These three masks show that while they all represent wholly different things to significantly different cultures, they still have something distinctly similar at their core. This is the beauty of art, especially in these types of functional forms.