Yaoure GURO mask

This captivating African mask by Abdul Aziz Mohamadu shows a no-nonsense personality and long, narrow face. Ritual scratches adorn his cheeks, and an elephant parades across his forehead. The mask is carved from sesame wood, hand painted and is an original design by talented Ghanaian artisans.

African animal masks of the Dié group in African Guro art. Elephants are proud of this Colorful mask crowned by a bird. Rectangular ears form an unusual feature This sculpture from Ivory Coast. Scratches, erosion. gouros are organized by row Baoulé's western neighbor. Their respective sculptures testify to their intimacy through their forms relation. Priests and soothsayers share the main ritual functions in Guro. secret Association worships the spirit of nature through the mask of the skeptical spirit live. Their patron saint, called Zuzu, is enshrined by a statue on the altar. That Ancient, cover and dyed masks in the hands of nobles, only used in large funerals or Chief Enthroned (Kerchache)

Masked dancers wearing chimpanzee masks, hook sticks and voluminous full-body costumes have turned up at the Dankeran Village Dance Festival to provoke and "heat" audiences with wild jumps and vulgar jokes. The chimpanzee mask offered here is made of light balsa wood and dyed black. It shows the typical form of these "Kagle masks": a protruding, semicircular and flat forehead with a diagonal line at the edge and deep-set slit eyes below (here each has three holes for the previous metal frame), a broad nose between prominent cheekbones on either side, a large, open mouth with wide, pouting lips. Distinguishing features of this particular object are the three holes below the eyes, which were used for an early metal profile (now lost), the original white embossed band on the bridge of the nose, the red tongue with the open mouth, and the embossed band on the inside of the thick lips . There are also embossed decorations on the outside of the cheeks.

The Danes are an agricultural people living in western Côte d'Ivoire and the hinterland of Liberia. They have a large number of masked figures representing the spirit of the jungle who serve various social, political and religious functions. Although 11 separate mask types can be distinguished according to formal criteria, these types cannot be assigned to specific functions because the meaning of masks has changed over time. The Danes have gained notoriety in the region for their entertainment festivals, which were originally village ceremonies but are now mostly performed for tourists. During these performances, masked performers dance on stilts. Created by the Kran group, the Kaogle mask is distinguished by its arched cheekbones, triangular nose, and broad, prominent forehead and mouth. This mask in particular is different in that its rectangular eyes protrude from the lower layer of the mask. Such eyes are often characteristic of Dan's neighbors, the Kiel tribe. Other features, such as the interplay of emptiness and mass and the sharp forehead stump, are reminiscent of the work of the nearby Bete tribe. Of course, this mask reveals the artistic influence of each tribe on the other. Khao Lak masks are traditionally used to create a festive atmosphere among the audience before the main festival begins. While this mask once attracted many concerned villagers, today it amazes us with its extraordinary beauty.