Contemporary Masks from the Kuba Region of the Congo
Contemporary Masks from the Kuba Region of Congo features forty objects from the Kuba region of the Democratic Republic of Congo in Central Africa. They were exhibited in multiples in order to showcase the stylistic variations around the types found at the courts of the Kuba king and at the nearby tribal chieftainships, the exhibition provides an opportunity to study the workshop styles of masks made in the past decade by Kuba artists for sale to outsiders. The object labels, wall texts, and contextual photographs offered background on the use of masks within Kuba culture. It showcased examples of Kuba textiles, beadwork belts, and ornaments used on costumes. The masks shown are part of a study collection of eighty-seven art objects on extended loan to the Lehman College Art Department from the United States Fish and Wildlife Service.