These 9 Modern African Masks Connect Tradition with the Future

How can the modern African mask add to centuries of tradition?

The traditional African mask is a global fascination; one often misunderstood and misrepresented, but full of undeniable attraction. The history, culture, craftsmanship, and artistry that has gone into them is compelling to many people of different backgrounds.

They are often used as part of a procession and full costume, are common all across Africa, spanning Angola to Nigeria, and go back centuries. Their meanings vary, with something as simple as a color representing entirely different things to people from separate regions.

Western artists like Picasso first gained an appreciation for the pieces starting in the early 1900s and introduced them to the world outside the continent.

But a range of African artists have been reimagining the African mask with new materials and new subject matter. Perhaps the most well known and longest-working artist in this field is Romuald Hazoumé from Benin. His work often revolves around the jerrican, a plastic container widely used to transport oil in his home country. He started working with the jugs as a child.

The jerrican can be found in younger artists' work as well, like Ghana's Serge Attukwei Clottey. His use of discarded materials is meant to draw attention to the environmental and social impacts these articles have. Most of the artists use everyday objects, things that can be found in daily life. Repurposed metal scraps, old lights and gears, and woven fabrics can be seen in many of these works.

Artists like Zak Ové are less concerned with material and emphasize literal messages. One of his most recent sculptures is painted in the colors of the American flag and has arms raised in the "Hands up, don't shoot" pose of the Black Lives Matter movement.

It doesn't necessarily take a young "Artist" (with a capital A) seeking a global audience to make the masks relevant to today's issues. Some peoples' traditions are nearly as current as your local gallery. Take Malawi's Nyau society, who've incorporated masks like Elvis and Charlie Chaplain, which the Brooklyn Museum pointed out in their own show on the subject. And the appeal of masks continues through traditional practices spanning the diaspora on many continents. But the modern mask is an interesting extension of this vast movement.

Take a look below at nine modern African masks, in no particular order, created by the internationally-renown and unknown alike.

A photo posted by Cyrus Kabiru (@ckabiru) on Aug 9, 2016 at 4:15am PDT

The Invisible Men, a series of sculptural works by British artist #ZakOve, is another favorite at @untitledartfair. Visit the fair today 11am - 7pm and enjoy "its enviable spot on the shoreline of South Beach". This edition, writes @mollygottschalk for @artsy, "featuring 129 galleries from 29 countries, is perhaps its strongest yet". #PromotingCreativity

A photo posted by SUTTON (@sutton) on Dec 1, 2016 at 6:54am PST

Up close with the man Serge. Photo by Kobe bigs #ChaleWote2016 #SpiritRobot #dynamicafrica #creativity #art #streetart #thisghanalife #accra #jamestown #africa #afro #afrogallonism #golokal @afrogallonism #FarabaleWeekly Cred: @chalewoteofficial

A photo posted by farabale (@farabalenow) on Aug 22, 2016 at 1:34am PDT

This image comes from a performance #WuraNatashaOgunji commissioned in Lagos, in which women took on the role of "Futuristic Egungun," carrying kegs of water strapped to their ankles. The work was both a radical reclamation of the egungun masquerade tradition, a role typically forbidden to women, and a commentary on the often-hidden everyday labor of women. #disguisebkm

A photo posted by Brooklyn Museum (@brooklynmuseum) on Jul 22, 2016 at 12:20pm PDT

#RomualdHazoume #Africa #Mask ? to #Paris

A photo posted by Stephan Breuer ⚡️ (@stephan_breuer_) on Apr 17, 2016 at 6:56am PDT

Mask 7" x 12" Steel ©djynojacques 2016 #djynojacques #steel #mask #sculpture #kolchawear #african #africanmask #africanmasks

A photo posted by erin lonergan (@ballyvaughan) on May 7, 2016 at 11:27am PDT

All three of the new "Trips" series, made from antique brass lamp parts, brass door hardware, and vintage adding machine and typewriter parts. #upcycling #africanmasks #assemblageart #steampunkart #recycledart #foundobjects #maskartisticexpressions

A photo posted by LSA (@assemblique) on Nov 1, 2016 at 7:13pm PDT

Dan Mask (polyester résin,150cmx70cmx50cm)

A photo posted by marcmontaret (@marcmontaret) on Oct 24, 2016 at 4:23am PDT

#africanmask #africantextiles #recycle #upcycle #handcrafted #Houtbay #capetown

A photo posted by andbanana (@andbananacapetown) on Nov 29, 2016 at 7:31am PST