Baoulé Mask (Côte d’Ivoire)

Inspired by the traditional masks of the Baoulé people of Côte d’Ivoire, this work reimagines an ancestral form through a contemporary, expressive language. Built through thick layers of acrylic and oil pastels, the surface carries a physical weight—where warm and cold tones clash, settle, and coexist. The face emerges with a quiet force, both composed and unsettled. Dark red streaks descend from the eyes, evoking a presence that feels both intimate and collective—suggesting memory, endurance, and the imprint of histories marked by sacrifice. Balancing strength and vulnerability, the work speaks to heritage as something lived and carried—shaped by time, struggle, and continuity.