Mask

Across the Igbo region, masquerade is a major means of communicating with spirits and ancestors, who play an important role in human life. Masquerade is among the major responsibilities of Igbo title institutions, which traditionally confer status and moral, political, and spiritual authority on their members. Sculptural innovation in masks is valued and encouraged within proscribed boundaries. This mask is composed of juxtaposed geometric planes and areas of positive and negative space. Two plump hornbills—ripe with symbolism because of the ease with which they move between land, sky, and water—perch on top of the mask’s plank.