Owl Mask c. 20th century

This Owl Mask, carved in wood by the Beembe people, now lives at the Minneapolis Institute of Art. Imagine the Beembe artist, working with the tools at hand, coaxing this form out of a block of wood. Those deep, dark brown tones contrast with the creamy white of the owl's eyes, which seem to gaze out with knowing wisdom. There is a triangle at the top of the head and at the base of the mask, and two triangles on the sides of the face. I am curious about how this mask was danced, or used. When I look at a mask like this, I think about artists today using found objects, or carving wood, building up surfaces, and also how they might be tapping into something ancient. It's like artmaking is a long conversation between humans. Each work builds on what came before, reaching back and forward in time. It embraces mystery, inviting us to look closer, to feel, and to connect.