Minneapolis Institute of Art

Mask

Chokwe artist

Date

1920–30

Medium

Wood, vegetable fiber, glass beads, metal

Culture

Chokwe

Department

Arts of Global Africa

Institution

Minneapolis Institute of Art

Known as pwo (woman) or mwana pwo (young woman), this type of mask is worn by men whose outfits include breasts carved in wood and fastened to their netted costume. The masks evoke female ancestors, who are responsible for guarding the community’s fertility. They are represented as beautiful women with balanced features, filed teeth, and delicate scarifications on their cheeks and forehead. This example includes an elaborate hairstyle, consisting of hundreds of strands and knots, embellished with red camwood powder. Chokwe, Angola, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Africa

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