Bwa Mask
Artist: Unknown Bwa artist
Origin: Bwa peoples of Burkina Faso and Mali
Dimensions: H: 37” (94cm); W: 13.5in (35cm); 7.5” (19cm)
From: Gift of Dr. Oliver E. and Pamela F. Cobb, 2008
Accession no. 2008.02.003
Not presently on display
Description: A bird-head mask with projecting beak and three surmounted abstracted small birds on the top in a linear fashion. The bottom two birds are encircled with wooden rings; the top one is free-standing, loose and able to swivel. The entire mask surface is decorated with geometric shapes in red, white and black. The eyeholes sit closely together and are below the beak. The frontal faceplate is also inset and shaded slightly by the side planes and forehead. There is major loss along the bottom of the elongated face plane, jagged and chipped.