Reproduction of a Kifwebe Mask, 2018

This is an old project from an African Art History class I took at Missouri State University. For the final assignment, we were required to reproduce a piece of traditional, African art using the traditional tools of the respective cultures. I chose to reproduce a Kifwebe mask used during ceremonial dances. The tools I used to carve this wooden mask were a couple of adze knives. These tools function similarly to axes used in the west, but the blade sits perpendicular to the handle instead of parallel. The artist uses an adze to slowly chip away at the wood until they have formed the shape and design of their mask.