When I was doing a research project in the art history class that I took a while ago, I had to research about the Kwakiutl tribe and their masks. This Indian Nation is based in British Columbia, right along Canada's southwest coastline. What stuck out in my mind was the fact that they had transformative masks. Each mask was the embodiment of some animal, and they would be used in various ceremonial dances. While they were dancing, the dancers with these masks would pull a cord which would open up the animal masks to reveal human charicatured faces. These transformation masks were to symbolize the animal gods and how they would transform into a human form, but I love them almost for the opposite reason. Each animal had a noble capacity or virtue which can be found within humans... Or at least that's what I took away from those masks. It wasn't until the other day when I had thought of them again after so long ago. In some of my future projects, I want to try and utilize some of the bold lines and patterns that the Kwakiutl had used in designing their masks.
Reed Bishop
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