Mask with pelele

ca. 1900 - 10

An unsettling realism gives Makonde masks a distinctive edge. Here we meet a man of mid-level authority, with his metal lip ring, human hair and geometric tattoos. He would once have been seen in a restless, dynamic performance among many other masqueraders. Makonde still rely on masked reviews that offer insightful comments on each other's behavior.

This mask was collected in 1965 in Mozambique by the donor, who interviewed the 80-year-old owner. He had kept it since his youth and sold it for funds to send his grandchildren to school in Portugal.

Wood, human hair, and iron

9 13/16 x 7 1/16 x 11 in. (25 x 18 x 28 cm)

Gift of Donal and Paula Brody

2001.1079

Not currently on view

Resources

Exhibition HistorySeattle, Washington, Seattle Art Museum, Disguise: Masks and Global African Art, June 18 - Sept. 7, 2015 (Los Angeles, California, Fowler Museum at UCLA, Oct. 18, 2015 - Mar. 13, 2016; Brooklyn, New York, Brooklyn Museum, Apr. 29 - Sept. 18, 2016).

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