Face Mask (Kanaga)

Early/mid–20th century

Dogon
Bandiagara region, Mali
Northern Africa and the Sahel

At a dama funeral, a towering plank mask known as sirige (an example of which is displayed nearby) appears after the performance of several cross-shaped kanaga masks. Admired for the vigorously sweeping movements of its dancer, kanaga is worn with a colorful costume that includes a plaited fiber hood and cowrie-shell-covered vest. It appears in groups that range from a few masks to as many as 70.

Status: On View, Gallery 137
Department: Arts of Africa

Culture: Dogon
Title: Face Mask (Kanaga)
Place: Mali (Object made in:)
Date Dates are not always precisely known, but the Art Institute strives to present this information as consistently and legibly as possible. Dates may be represented as a range that spans decades, centuries, dynasties, or periods and may include qualifiers such as c. (circa) or BCE.: 1900–1966
Medium: Wood, pigment, and fiber
Dimensions: 105.4 × 55.9 × 19.7 cm (41 1/2 × 22 × 7 3/4 in.)
Credit Line: Gift of Neal Ball in honor of Wilbur Tuggle
Reference Number: 2000.493

Chicago, Ill., Harold Washington Library Center, Forms of Expression: African Masks and Sculpture, Feb. 5–Apr. 17, 1993, no cat.

Herbert Baker (died 2001), Chicago and Los Angeles, CA, by 1978; sold to Neal Ball, Chicago, IL, May, 1978 [according to note in curatorial file]; given to the Art Institute, 2000.

Object information is a work in progress and may be updated as new research findings emerge. To help improve this record, please email . Information about image downloads and licensing is available here.

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Date Dates are not always precisely known, but the Art Institute strives to present this information as consistently and legibly as possible. Dates may be represented as a range that spans decades, centuries, dynasties, or periods and may include qualifiers such as c. (circa) or BCE.

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