Tribal Mask Wall Sculpture by China Marks, American, b 1942

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Tribal Mask Wall Sculpture by China Marks, American, b 1942

This powerful wall-mounted sculpture is a work by China Marks.
… Read more Tribal Mask Wall Sculpture by China Marks, American, b 1942

This powerful wall-mounted sculpture is a work by China Marks.
(American, born 1942), acquired directly from the artist’s Long Island City studio. Executed in cast and polychrome resin with applied natural bone elements and inset lucite eyes, the piece presents a confrontational, mask-like human visage mounted on a vertically oriented bone form.

The face is modeled with pronounced asymmetry and deeply worked surfaces, emphasizing raw texture and emotional intensity. Darkened, mottled finishes evoke the appearance of aged metal or ritual patina while remaining unmistakably contemporary in execution. The translucent lucite eyes introduce a striking visual contrast, heightening the sculpture’s psychological presence and sense of watchfulness.

Marks’ work aligns with late 20th-century Neo-Primitivism and Brutalist figuration, drawing on archetypal imagery, mythic symbolism, and ritualized form rather than any specific ethnographic source. The incorporation of bone elements reinforces themes of transformation, mortality, and power, central concerns in studio sculpture of the period.

Unsigned, acquired directly from the artist's studio. This sculpture is intended as a conceptual wall object rather than a functional artifact. It offers a commanding focal point suited to modern, Brutalist, or eclectic interiors.

Dimensions:
25.5" H × 15" W × 3" D See less