Große Liebesmaske 1994

Manuela Sambo made this mask, roughly one meter high, with humble materials: paper and paint. It's a playful approach, reminiscent of papier-mâché, yet there’s a sophistication in the rendering, which brings to mind the forms of African tribal masks. The brown and white coloring is earthy and organic, while the stripes, applied with simple brushstrokes, suggest the animal kingdom. The mask's pronounced nose is what gives the piece its striking, three-dimensional quality. The mask form itself is a prompt. It makes us wonder how identity is made and performed, both in a social sense and in the art world. It questions the amount of work involved in the production process, but also plays into the artist’s own identity and experiences. Ultimately, understanding the artistic choices and the social context helps us appreciate the rich cultural meaning of a piece like this, which straddles both the fine art and craft.