Ododua Mask - Benin
The mask scene here is an Ododua Mask created by the Benin people. Very similar in construction, this mask can easily be compared to other brass heads from the Benin people such as those that represent an Oba, or king. While other brass heads are for commemoration, this particular mask is used for spiritual purposes. Projections from the top are a dominant symbol of the vital force of a divine associate.[1] The superstructure protruding toward the sky symbolizes the link between the world and the spirit world through which communication with the spirits occurs. Vertical projection identifies its bearer as a personification of the vertical axis. The person who wears the Ododua Mask bridges the gap between human and spirit realms.
[1] Paula Ben-Amos and Arnold Rubin. The Art of Power, The Power of Art: Studies in Benin Iconography (University of California), 22.
[1] Paula Ben-Amos and Arnold Rubin. The Art of Power, The Power of Art: Studies in Benin Iconography (University of California), 22.