African Arts Gallery

African mask of Côte d'Ivoire and animal symbolism in African art.
This sculpture depicts a fine face with realistic features topped by a bird with a tail deployed. A lively polychrome laquise embellishes the room. Slight scattered abrasions. Among the group of Mande in the south, in the center of Côte d'Ivoire, on the banks of the Bandama, the Gouro are organized in lineages, and constitute the western neighbors of the Baoulé who have borrowed several characteristics of their creations. Animists, they have been using a family of masks associated with the dy Zaouli. Indeed, like the African masks Goli des Baoulé, all Guro masks, related to the geniuses of nature, come in two zoomorphic masks followed by a third anthropomorph, who is considered the wife of the mask zamblé , the Gu . The Gu , whose function is apotropaic, represents a young woman with the beauty criteria specific to The Guro, especially facial scarifications and lined teeth. It is by singing in honor of the zamblé that the Gu, according to the sound of the flute, moves gracefully. The dancer is fully clothed with brightly coloured fabrics and plant fibres in harmony with the mask's polychromy, and performs various acrobatic feats in front of an attentive audience.
Litt.: Gouro A.M. BOUTTIAUX. Ed. 5Continents.