Ibibio Female Dance Mask

A hand-carved and painted mask depicting a female character, made for use in dance performance. The face has a yellow ochre complexion with details in black, an elaborate black coiffure rising to a crest, eye slits for the wearer, painted arched brows, stylised geometric motifs on the cheeks, chin, forehead and upper lip, a small protruding nose and an open smile with incised teeth. Masks of this kind were not conceived as isolated sculpture but as part of a performance combining music, costume, food and audience participation.