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.