“Shrunken” heads, miniature masks and a 300 BC Roman head fragment are featured in a fascinating new exhibit, Small Faces ~ Cultural Masks and Heads, opening Friday April 4 at the Global Village Museum in Fort Collins. Used in drama or dances, as disguises or decorative objects, masks are handcrafted in many countries. Indonesia, South and Central America, the United States and Africa are among the many cultures represented through human, animal, demon and mythical images, made of mediums from wood to fur and caribou hide. Visit this dramatic show from April 4 – September 20, 2014 at the Global Village Museum of Arts and Cultures, 200 West Mountain Avenue in Old Town, Fort Collins. For contrast, see the Fort Collins Museum of Art exhibit of contemporary masks by local artists.
Full-sized masks by two renowned mask makers from different continents are also included. An exclusive collection by eccentric New York artist Francisco “Paco” Sainz will be displayed. This Spanish- born artist had several solo showings of his masks at galleries in New York during the 1960s. Sainz’s art, which drew on traditional portraiture and folk art, has been shown internationally and is in private collections around the globe. One of the full-size masks in the exhibit is by famed Indonesian artist/ priest Ida Bagus Sutarja. After his death, Sutarja’s entire family of twelve, including his wife and daughters, continued his tradition of mask carving and painting. Their family and their village of Mas in Bali are famous for beautiful masks, often used in Balinese ceremonial dances.
The Global Village Museum of Arts and Cultures, located at 200 West Mountain Avenue in Fort Collins, is open Tuesdays through Saturdays 11 – 5 pm. During Gallery Walk evenings, admission is half-price. Admission is $5 for adults, $3 for seniors and students, and $1 for children. Admission is free for museum members and children three and under. For more information, call 970.221.4600 or visit www.globalvillagemuseum.org.