Spirit Faces

Spirit Faces collects 75 masks by 23 of the best living Native American artists in the Northwest. These beautiful and powerful masks draw on the natural and supernatural worlds to depict such archetypal characters as Eagle, Moon, and Thunderbird. The mask is an important part of ceremonial life on the Northwest Coast. It makes the supernatural world visible in dance dramas performed at feasts and in winter ceremonies held by secret societies. Some masks embody mythology or history, others depict shamanic or human experiences. Each mask pictured here is accompanied by the artist's own words describing its creation and meaning. With an introduction by Gary Wyatt - a leading authority on Native American art of the Northwest - explaining the importance, meaning, and ceremonial use of these masks, and the role of art in First Nations' culture, Spirit Faces is a spectacular look at a vibrant and venerable tradition.