coastal art

By Kobina Asmah, this beautiful mask depicts a beloved African queen of the Baule people. "This is the queen mother Aura Poka. Because of dissension in the Ashanti kingdom, she moved her people to present day Ivory Coast," the artisan explains. Carved by hand of sese wood, the mask is covered with embossed aluminum textures.

A graceful bird alights atop a bearded face with animal ears. Melding human and zoomorphic features, Salihu Ibrahim sculpts a mesmerizing image. The graceful sese wood mask comes from the Guro people of Cote d'Ivoire, where they represent the spirits of the underworld. This design symbolizes protection.

Hand-carved by Salihu Ibrahim, a fierce personage shouts a rousing war cry. Hewn from sese wood, this rugged African mask comes from the Dan people who inhabit the mountainous regions of the Ivory Coast. It is thought to protect warriors in battle.

Representing the Baule people of Côte d'Ivoire, this dramatic mask depicts a ram with powerful horns. Salihu Ibrahim carves the image from native sese wood and applies white clay for an aged effect. Among the Baule people, theram represents strength and is sometimes considered a spirit related with agriculture.

The Kponyugo mask, sometimes known as the "firespitter" mask, is an important ceremonial mask for the Senufo people of Mali, the Ivory Coast and Burkina Faso. Its fierce appearance is intended to elicit uncertainty and apprehension, and it is commonly used during funeral rituals to scare away malevolent spirits. Salihu Ibrahim replicates the mask with extraordinary attention to detail. Featuring horns, pointy tusks, sharp-looking teeth, and a raffia mane, the visage is fearsome.

Alighting without fear, a long-beaked bird symbolizes peace. The graceful creature poises atop a serene, horned personage from the Guro tribe of Cote d'Ivoire. His golden gaze conveys serenity, set amid smooth sese wood features. Hand-carved by Salihu Ibrahim, this masterful mask exemplifies West African Ivorian folk art.