Egungun headdress c. 1950s

This Egungun headdress was made by a Yoruba artist, but we don't know when it was made, or even who made it, exactly. Look at this curious sculpture! Four faces are on display here. Three are arranged at the base, each with different expressions and unique coloring. A chameleon sits perched on top, like a mischievous spirit overseeing the scene. I wonder what the artist was thinking while carving each face. The different colors and features seem to represent a range of characters or ancestors. It's like a family gathering, with the chameleon as the watchful guardian. You can see in the way the Yoruba artist worked with the wood, the love of the craft, the careful carving of the features. This person was really thinking about what these images meant to them, what role they played. It reminds me a bit of some Picasso heads I have seen. Artists are always borrowing and reinventing ideas. This headdress tells a visual story about identity, heritage, and transformation – themes that continue to inspire artists today.