Bunde Mask c. 20th century

Editor: Right, next up, we have the Bunde Mask, made around the 20th century. It’s a wood carving with pigment, currently residing here at the Minneapolis Institute of Art, and associated with the Temne people. It feels so powerful, almost severe in its presentation. What jumps out at you when you see this piece? Curator: Oh, isn't she something? For me, this mask whispers tales of transition. The sleek darkness of the wood is grounding, while those elegant serpentine forms reaching upwards… well, they seem to yearn for something beyond. Think of it as a portrait, yes, but also a narrative of becoming. The woman who wears this mask isn’t just portraying an image; she embodies the spirit of transformation itself. Editor: Transformation? In what way? Curator: Think of the Sande society rituals, a coming-of-age passage. This mask isn't merely beautiful; it is a crucial tool to ushering young women into adulthood. Doesn’t the craftsmanship remind you of other artworks you may have seen from Indigenous Americas or even Oceania? Carvings are the echo of ancestors! Consider what kind of lessons could she pass on? Editor: Hmm, the focus feels very inward, maybe contemplative about the change to adulthood? It also kind of has me wondering about who created it – was it also a woman? Curator: A phenomenal question. Knowledge about its creator feels just out of reach but consider how this artifact brings together womanhood as the creator, ritualistic tool, and coming of age facilitator? That's potent. So, how does that new knowledge sit with your first impressions? Editor: It's like… seeing the quiet strength and significance hidden beneath the surface of the "severe" aesthetic I saw at the beginning. Curator: Exactly! Sometimes the most profound stories are etched in silence.