"Téké Mask" - Contemporary Wooden Sculpture - Height: 26 cm

Contemporary sculpture in various woods representing the Téké mask from Gabon - Height 25 cm

Wood carving is a technique that is practiced by removing material. It also refers to the work made of wood. Although the practice of wood carving is very old (no trace of it remains, because wood is a material that does not resist the ravages of time), clay sculpture remains the first technique and the first material used for sculpture. Wood carving is a skill recognized by the Inventory of Intangible Cultural Heritage in France.

Traditional masks have always held an important place in Gabonese cultures. Each ethnic group has its own, dedicated to various ceremonies but all important in the rhythm of life of these populations. The frontal or temporal scarifications in the shape of a nine-point diamond represent their cosmogony and evoke the notion of perfection and wisdom.

The Teke or Kidumu people are well known for their masks which are round wooden masks in the shape of a flat disc. Note its abstract and geometric patterns with horizontal lines in warm colors, mainly dark blue, brown, yellow, etc. Traditional Teke masks all have a triangle-shaped nose.