Ca’ del Duca 3052, Corte del Duca Sforza
San Marco, 30124, Venezia, Italy
Tue – Sat 10am – 6pm
Kelechi Charles Nwaneri Nigeria, b. 1994
Masquerade 1, 2021
Charcoal, Acrylic paints and Acid-free Acrylic markers
45x34x4 cm
'In these two works I intend to replicate the essence of the “Masquerades” with artistic representations. In Igbo culture, Masquerades (Mmanwu) are held in accordance with the community native calendars...
"In these two works I intend to replicate the essence of the “Masquerades” with artistic representations. In Igbo culture, Masquerades (Mmanwu) are held in accordance with the community native calendars during festivals, annual festivities, burial rites and other social gatherings. The masquerades are geared in colourful robes and masks made of wood or fabric. Some masks appear only at one festival, but the majority appear at many or all. Masquerades are associated with spiritual elements, as according to Igbo belief, they represent images of deities or sometimes even dead relatives. The identity of the masquerade is a well-kept secret and performed exclusively by men.In Igbo culture as well as in a number of cultures around the world, Masquerades make up the core of most cultural celebrations. These dancing figures or “Masquerades” as often called are what I try to represent in the works using a male (masquerade 1) and female (masquerade 2) wooden Ghanaian mask and a note of symbols inspired by the ancient Nsibidi writing system. Together the Mask and the text creates a 2D representation of the essence of a masquerade."