Mask Response:
This Helmet Mask (Mbedike) was made in Nigeria by Iweze of Ogbunike (part of Igbo people), ca. 1918. It was created using wood, pigment and iron. It is classified by The MET as a wood-sculpture and was most likely a ceremonial mask and costume. Based off of my observations and prior knowledge, I would say they carved this from some found wood seeing as it was most likely a material they had easy access to using makeshift tools, attaching certain pieces with iron. The now faded pigment must have had some importance to the ceremony it was intended for. Overall, the piece is comprised of two main volumes – the facial area, and the towering headpiece. The piece is very three-dimensional compared to other masks of this time seeing as it has various parts that stick out with bends / curves. What drew me to it was its use of negative space in the towering headpiece above the facial area, making the headpiece feel visually lighter although it takes up almost half of the mask overall. The negative space helps create dynamic forms and allows viewers eyes to move throughout. Another instance where negative space is utilized is for the eye cutouts. Some areas I found interesting were the small carved heads on the headpiece and the way the mouth protrudes outward on the face, as well as all of the minute details from top to bottom.
Neck Piece:
The wooden neck piece I created is meant to act as both a collar and a necklace. In putting the collar together I payed attention to angles and attached the pieces of wood using nails, whereas for the “necklace” part I attached the wood using wire so that the neck piece would be flexible overall, allowing people to put it on over their heads with ease. I feel that adding wire also kept things interesting now that it was introducing another material that wasn’t wood.
