African mask art and culture

Masks have a long history in Africa. In prehistoric rock paintings in South Africa, images of women wearing masks and dancing are found. However, the masks with the richest shapes and the strongest artistic expression are mainly concentrated in West and Central Africa sub-Saharan Desert. For example, Cote d'Ivoire, Nigeria, Mali, Guinea, Cameroon, etc. are all areas where masks are widely prevalent and developed.

Masks can be roughly divided into general masks, mask toppings, helmet-shaped masks, shoulder-mounted masks, and decorative masks. Most of them are shaped by human faces, animals, or a combination of human faces and animals. These human faces are vastly different. Some only have eye sockets, grinning teeth, and are extremely terrifying, some have eyes slightly open, the corners of their mouths slightly curled, and are elegant and skillful, some squint their eyes and have a faint smile, and are mysterious... However, there are also similarities in style that are rough, childish, simple and simple. This kind of mask with unique artistic expression can easily lead the viewer into a mysterious and psychedelic world, but it often makes the viewer ignore the superb nature of its artistic expression techniques and rush to explore and solve what these images are and from. Where they come from, what they are used for and other questions. Perhaps this is the charm of African masks, making people marvel at art and instantly forget art.

Generally speaking, for ease of wearing, African mask carvings are mostly made of soft wood. They are often carved into round carvings first, and then cut open from the middle and hollowed out. Some masks are dyed with vegetable or mineral pigments after completion. The dyed mask not only has a greater visual impact on people, but is also conducive to long-term preservation. In some tribes, color is also a symbol of the function of the mask. For example, masks used for funeral rituals are often painted white to symbolize death and the underworld.

In the vast African continent, although the specific beliefs among many tribes vary widely, most tribes believe in the fetishism of "animism". They believe that everything in the world has a soul, especially many common animal images such as antelope, big bird, cow head, elephant head, butterfly, crocodile, snake, etc., are regarded by many tribes as god idols or symbols of strength, power, and intelligence and carved on various masks. For example, the image of the big bird in the face of the Senufo people in Cote d'Ivoire is the spiritual symbol of the ancestors of the Senufo tribe and has mysterious and supernatural power. The Baole facial features often take the most powerful part of the animal's body-the double horns. They believe that wearing such masks and exaggerating the animal's performance amid passionate drum music will gain corresponding divine power. When the rhythm of drums and dance gradually accelerates and the mood of the audience reaches its highest point, this power will be magically transmitted to every member of the tribe.

In Africa, the types, carving styles and styles of masks are extremely rich. Even masks of the same tribe and the same theme have no similarities in image, which reflects the superb artistic level and bold innovative spirit of African sculptors. However, the sculptors first emphasized the social function of the mask, focusing on the community and non-personalized emotional expression, and most of them focused on various mysterious religious activities such as rain praying rituals, wedding ceremonies, sowing and harvest ceremonies, adulthood ceremonies, and witchcraft ceremonies. Among them, masks of different shapes have different functions. For example, in areas such as Cote d'Ivoire and Mali, there is a double-sided mask. It is a wedding mask that is usually used to witness the love of men and women among tribal youth and symbolize strong love.

In addition to religious rituals, masks are often used in the daily life of African tribes. For example, law enforcers organized by tribal secret societies wear masks to punish those who behave badly, leaders order subordinates to wear masks to collect taxes and promote fire prevention, and witch doctors wear masks to treat patients. Wearing a mask in such activities represents rights and prestige and can deter people; secondly, it can cover up your identity and appearance and effectively prevent others from retaliating.

There are also some masks that are purely for entertainment, which are worn by harlequins, musicians, etc. when performing dances and burlesque shows. Such masks usually have exaggerated facial features, bizarre images, and full of ridicule and irony. For example, the Yoruba people in Nigeria and the Dogon people in Mali have a dance called "Mask Dance." Performers wear oddly shaped masks and use a humorous way to express the clothes and strange behaviors of foreigners, reflecting some huge differences in social customs and living habits of different ethnic groups.

If we want to truly feel the charm of African masks, we also need to be exposed to a specific environment. The mask can only show its true charm if it is matched with specific costumes, hair accessories and movements, and dances passionately in the dazzling fire and music. Of course, this charm is not only artistic, but also reflects an ancient and mysterious custom and culture. As the French literary critic Malraux said,"African masks are not the solidification of human expressions, but a ghostly illusion... The antelope mask does not represent the antelope, but represents the spirit of the antelope. The style of the mask creates its spirit." Therefore, only by knowing more background knowledge can we obtain the highest degree of artistic and emotional pleasure.

With the development of history, the functions and users of African masks are constantly changing. Today, this unique and diverse mask has developed into an independent art. Many masks have gone out of tribes and Africa, and are loved and cherished by people from all over the world.