The Traditional Art of the Mask

The Traditional Art of the Mask Synopsis

This is rare look into the traditional ways of creating the beautiful masks that have brought such admiration to the native American carvers of the Pacific Northwest. The masks of the Kwakiutl people of the Pacific Northwest are noted around the world for their bold colorful designs. Used for dramatic recreations of the ancestors’ adventures, they carry a depth of social, historical, and religious meaning. Lelooska has spent a lifetime creating these masks, a privilege bestowed upon him by the Kwakiutl. He has recreated many of the ceremonial masks which were lost or destroyed when the potlach was, for a time, outlawed. His masks are used in the traditional dances both at the revived gatherings and at recreations of the dances presented by the Lelooska Foundation in Ariel, Washington. Now he shares the traditional carving techniques with carvers everywhere. The Kwakiutl carvers are known particular for their transformation or opening masks, which change or open to reveal a second, inner mask. The mask carved in this new book is just such a mask, beautiful in its design and its complexity. Each step is illustrated and described to help the carver recreate the mask on his or her own. This is a unique and much awaited book by one of America’s foremost artists.

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