Lot 243
Russell Tate (First Nations / Canadian, Nuu-chah-nulth / Nootka, Ditidaht, b. 1966). Dzunukwa Mask. Wooden mask, 2005. Signed with date on right periphery of verso. A dramatic wooden mask of sizable form hand-carved by Nootkan artist Russell Tate to depict Dzunukwa the wild woman with exaggerated features. Surmounted by a coiffure formed from strips of cedar bark, the ancestral ogress exhibits a large, hooked nose with flared nostrils, slender, squinting eyes beneath raised brows, and puckered lips as though whistling. Vibrant hues of emerald, azure, scarlet, and black form abstract designs that further accentuate the fantastical features of this stunning vizard! Size without cedar bark: 9.3" W x 18" H (23.6 cm x 45.7 cm)
Dzunukwa is a mythical female being said to cause nightmares and carry children away to her home in the forest to eat them. Like beasts such as Bigfoot or the Sasquatch, she is believed to be an anthropomorphic giant with a huge body and head, boney, black face, bushy unkempt hair, and pursed lips. Her prominent red lips, as seen in this example, are emphasized to indicate her blood thirstiness and her cry Hu! Hu! During the winter ceremonies, masked dancers represent several spiritual beings, including Dzunukwa, who is portrayed as shaggy, lumbering, sleepy, and vain. She always carries a basket to collect children and must be assisted by a rope that leads from the door to her seat when she enters the longhouse for the winter ceremony, due to her clumsiness. Though frightening, it is important to note that she is capable of providing wealth and power. If a chief wants his audience to respect and fear him, as they fear Dzunukwa, he wears her mask while speaking to the people. It is believed that those who are able to outsmart Dzunukwa and reach her house, will leave with treasures like dried meats, animal skins, dance privileges and the "water of life," which is capable of reviving the dead.
Russell Tate began carving in 2004 after being inspired by Art Thompson and the artists featured on the television show 'Ravens and Eagles.' He is largely self-taught and specializes in carving masks and paddles in a distinct Ditidaht style. Many of Russell's masks are carved in an abstract fashion, often wedge-shaped or triangular in cross-section, with two angled planes of the face meeting in the center. This style of mask often features exaggerated eyes and sharply angled eyebrows which make them a vibrant stylistic counterpoint to the artforms of the Kwakwaka'wakw and Coast Salish.
Provenance: private Alamo, California, USA collection, before 2000
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#180692
- Condition: Signed with date on right periphery of verso. Some light surface wear with nicks, abrasions, and scratches, as well as areas of fraying to cedar bark. Otherwise, intact and excellent with suspension wire on verso for display.
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