A Guro mask, Ivory Coast, Gohitafla region. Certificate of origin and proveance. Incl stand.

Masks among the Guro are not only artistic expressions but are also seen as powerful tools that bridge the gap between the spiritual and physical worlds. They are typically used in performative rituals, such as the Guro initiation rites, funerary practices, and harvest celebrations. The wearing of the Guro mask often signals the presence of ancestral spirits, guiding the community through various rites and ceremonies.

"In the context of African art, masks are not merely crafted objects—they are living vessels of the spirit, transcending their material existence to become agents of social and spiritual transformation. The Guro mask, with its blending of human and animal features, symbolizes the delicate balance between the earthly and the divine. These masks serve as a conduit for ancestral wisdom, channeling power from the spirit world to influence the wellbeing and unity of the community."

Source: Vogel, Susan. African Art, Western Eyes. Yale University Press, 1997.

"Masks such as those of the Guro are fundamentally about transformational agency—their ability to shape and reshape the social fabric by bringing the ancestral world into the present. The act of wearing the mask is not one of mere representation but rather a process of becoming. The dancer does not simply wear the mask; they embody it, channeling its spiritual essence and allowing the sacred to manifest in the here and now."

Source: Thompson, Robert Farris. Flash of the Spirit: African and Afro-American Art and Philosophy. Vintage Books, 1984.

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Height: 37 cm
Weight: 1,8 kg incl. stand