Masks reveal unknown worlds

Kodiak mask, Alaska, wood, 29×16×6cm.

The artists of Alaska carve masks out of wood following indications that the shaman conveys to them in a dream. The ceremonies would take place in the communal houses, the qasiq, and represented pairs of masks that illustrated the myths that were invoked in the hope of an abundance of game. These masks symbolised the tornat or kalat, dangerous spirits or transformed animals that served as potential assistants to the shamans. This kodiak mask in the form of a teardrop has a very expressive physiognomy that denotes a certain aggressiveness but also features a generally comic appearance to play down the seriousness of the ritual.