Vintage Songye Kifwebe Male Mask, DRC Congo — Ex-Raskin Collection

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A striking carved-wood Songye kifwebe male mask (kilume) from the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The form is unmistakable: a … Read more A striking carved-wood Songye kifwebe male mask (kilume) from the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The form is unmistakable: a tall central crest, projecting “telescoping” eyes, a bold rectangular mouth, and the fine concentric striations that define the kifwebe tradition — surfaces that catch and ripple light from across a room. Traces of the original red, white, and black pigment remain, and the perimeter is pierced for the raffia costume once worn in performance.

Among the Songye, the male kifwebe was danced at investitures, funerals, and new-moon rites, its striations referencing the threshold between the human and spirit worlds. As sculpture, it reads as both totemic and quietly modern — equally at home as the anchor of a gallery wall, a console vignette, or a collected, layered interior.

Provenance: Acquired in 2006 from the African art collection of Yuri and Ilya Raskin (arttribal.com / zyama.com), a respected collection assembled over more than thirty years and documented online and in print. Original collection reference B758; the dealer’s reference sheet conveys to the buyer. See less