Spirit Faces: Contemporary Masks of the Northwest Coast de Wyatt, Gary - 1994

Vancouver, B. C.: Douglas & McIntyre, 1994. 1st Edition 1st Printing. Soft cover. Very Good. 4to - over 9¾ - 12" tall. Minor edge and corner wear; lightly scuffed and scratched; spine is gently creased as well as the front of the wrapper; some light shelf wear; overall a very crisp and clean used copy! Full-color pictorial wrapper with yellow lettering. 135 very clean unmarked and uncreased historical and informative pages nicely enhanced by full-color photographs and illustrations! "These breathtakingly beautiful and powerful masks depict creatures (such as Eagle or Killer Whale), natural elements and forces (such as Moon or Weather), humans, and supernatural beings (such as Thunderbird or the Chief of the Undersea). Masks are an important part of ceremonial life on the Northwest Coast; they make the supernatural world visible and bring it to life in dance dramas performed at feasts and potlatches, or at winter ceremonies held by secret societies. Some masks embody mythology or history. Others depict shamanic experiences, or are portrait masks that represent personal experience. The most elaborate are transformation masks, which are used to display the transition from one form to another, such as Wolf to Human. At the high point of the dance, the dancer will open the outer mask to reveal another one inside. The introduction by Gary Wyatt outlines the place of art inside Northwest Coast societies and the place of Northwest Coast art in the outside art world. He also explains the importance, meaning and ceremonial use of masks. Each mask is accompanied by the artist's own words describing its creation and meaning.....