Description:

Masks are a sacred art form for the Dan people who live along the Ivory Coast and neighbouring Liberia. These wooden masks - called 'gle' or 'ge' - are believed to be spiritually charged. The term 'gle' refers to both the physical mask and the spiritual entity that the mask embodies during a ceremonial performance. An initiated male member among the Dan receives the visage of the spirit in a dream which is then communicated with community elders to decipher the characteristics of the gle. The mask is worn with a costume made from raffia.