We are pleased to announce that the museum has purchased a collection of African masks which enriched the collection of the Department of the non-European Cultures thanks to funding from the National Institute for Museums and Public Collections. It is a joyful moment for us, because we not only enlarge the collection of museum objects, but most of all we supplement it. This made the collection even more representative.

The collection of African masks from West and Central Africa comes from the collections of a Polish Africanist, field and scientific researcher – Jacek Łapott. It consists of 61 objects, most of which come from West Africa (Burkina Faso and Mali) and Central and East Africa.

All items were obtained by the collector in Africa – directly from the owners in the research area or on the local antiquarian market in the artisanas. The collection dates back to the second half of the 20^th century, which is also indicated by the characteristic features of the masks, their style and the materials used.

Almost all objects have a natural patina and dirt related to their use (worn polychrome and wooden elements, especially those being close to the dancer's head or parts of the costume) and storage (traces of  inactive wood-eaters, rotten fragments). The collection includes objects that were used in traditional ceremonies. This mainly applies to objects acquired in the Dogon country. An interesting example is the mask of  the Tom people, which, although bought in the artisana, shows signs of use. On the inside of the mask there are clear marks (polishing) made by the forehead and nose of the dancer.

All objects were made with traditional methods, with the use of traditional tools (mainly chisels) by local craftsmen. Contemporary masks are produced in manufactories, based on photos from albums of African art, using electric tools (saws, drills).

The collection includes several items intended for the souvenir market, for example, a Pygmy mask made in the Luba style or the Dan people's passport mask. Both of these masks were made very carefully (as opposed to contemporary souvenir products often made very sloppy) with attention to detail and clearly refer to the traditional style.

In a few cases, there was a problem with defining ethnic origin of the object. The collection includes several masks that combine the styles of neighboring peoples. Such a phenomenon is confirmed in the literature. Annamaria Schweeger-Hefel and Wilhelm Staude (1972) as well as André and Afo Guennguez (no date) wrote about it.

More about the individual objects of the collection: https://muzeum.zory.pl/museo-ekhpo/