Gelede mask c. mid 20th century

This Yoruba Gelede mask, now at the Minneapolis Institute of Art, is such a cool object. I'm imagining the artist, probably a carver, carefully selecting the wood, feeling its weight and grain, thinking about the face he wants to bring forth. Look at the slightly closed eyes and gentle curve of the mouth, and then the hat on top of his head, like a swirl of black, white, and maybe even a little red—each color applied with intention, building up a kind of personality. The texture is quite pronounced. It makes me think about how we, as artists, are always in dialogue, even across cultures and time. Each gesture, each mark, is part of a conversation that stretches back centuries, a kind of visual call and response. It's kind of like a painter grabbing a brush and just feeling the weight of it.