Mask (Kifwebe)

c. 1930s
Overall: 71.2 cm (28 1/16 in.)
This artwork is known to be under copyright.
Location: not on view

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Did You Know?

The three-colored stripes on this kifwebe mask visually link it to powerful and dangerous animals including zebras, snakes, lions, and porcupines; not all of these animals are local to where the Songye peoples live.

Description

The closely spaced, painted grooves on this kifwebe mask accentuate the contours of the mask itself. The colors are mixed with sacred substances that activate the mask and help induce the wearer to enter a state of being between human and spirit. The theme of transformation may be inherent in the form of the mask itself, which recalls, in an abstracted way, some of the distinctive traits of the chameleon—a supreme symbol of transformative power.
Mask (Kifwebe)

Mask (Kifwebe)

c. 1930s

Africa, Central Africa, Democratic Republic of Congo, Songye-style maker

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