The Elizabeth Cole Butler Collection.

The Elizabeth Cole Butler Collection.

Face masks are brought out on ceremonial occasions in the display of inherited crests and privileges and as a means by which the presence of supernatural beings and their powers are made tangible. Eyeholes allow the wearer to see during the dance or dramatization of a story or event related to the creature depicted. The pierced openings along the top of this mask most likely were filled with feathers, echoing the painted U-shapes and hatch marks referencing plumage. - Anna Strankman

Gift of the Artist.

Phillip Charette, whose Yup'ik name Aarnaquq was handed down in his family, is an artist who sees inspiration in traditional forms and creates visually potent statements using a variety of contemporary media. Historically, Yup'ik shamans used Amikuk masks in their healing ceremonies as a portal to travel into the spiritual world. Although the traditional style of Yup'ik mask was carved from wood, Charette uses a range of ceramic techniques to achieve the desired results and even models the clay to simulate the adze marks that appear on the surface of wooden masks. He researches every detail and each aspect has a symbolic reference. For example, the white paint around the eyes represent snow goggles and the red on the lips and interior of the nostrils represents blood, signifying the mask's strength, while the porcelain teeth are a reminder of the dangerous and powerful beings that inhabit the spiritual world.

Gift of the Amon G. Carter Foundation.

Gift of the Amon G. Carter Foundation.

Gift of the Amon G. Carter Foundation.

Gift of the McFarland Family on the occasion of the 80th Birthday of James C. McFarland.

The Fred and Rosetta Harrison Collection; Museum Purchase and Partial Gift of Mike Jungert, Shelley Engh, and Robin McGinn.