Anthropomorphic face mask · Nigeria, Eket · ID: 3050466
Serge Le Guennan, Paris, France (2016)
Description
wood, black and red pigment, missing parts, base
This mask from the Azar collection is published in Neyt’s standard work on the art of the Eket (Neyt, Paris 1979, fig. 25).
Neyt reports that such masks, which are crowned by anthropomorphic heads, figures or amphorae, were used in processions for agricultural festivals (Neyt, Paris 1979, p. 17).
A formally comparable mask is illustrated by Soldan (Soldan, 1986, p. 293, fig. 24 / AHDRC 0090124). However, nothing further seems to be known about the use of this type of mask. Nor do we know which organisation he once belonged to, the “ekpo”, “idiong” or “ekong” secret society of men.
Comparing literature
Soldan, Hans-Joerg, "Zur Frage des Kulturgutes der Eket", in: Baessler-Archiv, Neue Folge, Band XXXIV, Berlin 1986, p. 249-303
Publications
Neyt, Francois, "L'Art Eket, Collection Azar", Paris 1979, fig. 25AHDRC: 0135218
Exhibition
Paris, France: "Parcours des Mondes", Galerie SL, 6-11 September 2016