Elu (Spirit) Mask
Ogoni people, Nigeria
Circa: 1st quarter 20th century
Provenance: Constance McCormick Fearing Collection, Santa Barbara, CA
Height: 8.25” / 21cm
These masks, small in scale, were originally danced during rituals but were later worn for performance art. They have hinged jaws similar to those found in marionette traditions where performances dealt with social commentary and satire. Teeth of tightly spaced wooden needles are beheld when the mask’s jaws are opened by the dancer during a performance.
SOLD
