Coastal Ramu River Dance Mask-Ex. Wayne Heathcote-New Guinea Art-Oceanic Art
They say beauty is in the eyes of the beholder and what I see here is beautiful. I see a mask from the Coastal Ramu River area laden with cultural and ritual significance, what I call ‘juice.’ The naturalistic features are layered with magical pigments, thick with ceremonial history, heavy with spiritual intent. There are plenty of competently carved masks of pleasing aesthetics, but few have the obvious gravitas manifested by generations of ancestral spirits staring you in the face. I love the crustiness of this mask with its powder blue eyes and mouth. The mask is ex. Wayne Heathcote, ex. Francois Coppens, dates to the early 20th century, is 12 ¼” (31.3 cm) in height.