Deformation mask "idiok" of the "ekpo" society ·  Nigeria, Ibibio · ID: 3047062

Description

wood, pigments, plant fibre, fur, insect caused damage, base

Most known Ibibio masks are dark coloured and were also identified by earlier scholars, as embodying ugly, unsatisfied spirits whose behaviour provided negative examples for the living.

Some were plagued by disease and disfigurement for their transgressions and were destined to wander forever, unhappy and unfulfilled.

The object Deformation mask “idiok” of the “ekpo” society with the object ID 3047062 was last part of the auction 95th Tribal Art Auction at October 24, 2020 on Zemanek-Münster Auction house. The object with the lot number 177 achieved a sales price of EUR 1,300.

You can find more Masks and other popular object types on our related topic pages. You may also be interested in our page on African art.

Comparing literature

Cole, Herbert M., Invention and Tradition, Munich, London, New York 2012, p. 75 f.