The following feature article appeared in April 99 Arts of Asia
and is here reprinted by permission of the author.

Transforming Masks / Masks of the Himalayas

(1) Sorcerer disguised as a composite animal, Les Trois Freres, (after Breuil) circa 14,000 B.P. Earlier masked transformative beings have been documented back to 32,000 B.P. This may be our oldest icon.

Rituals of transformation may be considered basic expressions of human nature. Evidence for this extends back to the Paleolithic era cave painting find at Les Trois Freres, France. There, the image of a man disguised as an animal suggests the early use of masks to gain access to the realm of spirits. ( ex 1) Animistic magic, an aspect of shamanism, has continued through time to include the masquerade with "rites of passage," such as birth, initiation, marriage, and attaining a rank. Mortuary rituals, the final transformation, often include masks. This use may, by extension, be seen as a function of ancestor worship.

People interpret non-verbal meaning from the facial cast. By recapitulating and exaggerating features of the face, masks become powerful vehicles for the expression of what Jungian psychology terms persona. Wearing a ritual mask animates a new persona, transforming the participant into the being invoked- deity, demon, animal totem, or ancestor. These essential images, shared by diverse cultures throughout time, suggest common roots, which have been termed "archetypes". Masking rituals present myth as real life interactive experience, both concealing and revealing.

Located just north of San Francisco, the Sausalito flea market was a legendary institution for over two decades. It was a magical gathering place, where throngs of people came to buy and sell objects from all over the world. Countless stories circulated about great finds: Caucasian rugs, Tibetan bronzes, African sculpture- to name just a few. One Sunday morning in 1985, I went searching for treasure, as was my custom. On a table an ancient looking black mask seemed to be staring at me. Picking it up, I was immediately intrigued.

The vendor told me that he had just returned from Nepal, where he had acquired the mask only a week before. It had been hand carried across the Himalayas to Katmandu by a Tibetan, who sold it in the market to raise money for Lo-gsar, the Tibetan New Year festival. The price seemed reasonable at $500, but being an old flea market hand I had to bargain. Little did I realize at that moment how this "bargain" would later cost me large sums of money and prove a catalyst for profound changes in my life.

(2) Mahakala mask, probably Mahakala, Tibet, circa 15th. C., height 11 in. Hardwood, with thick black patina and traces of original crushed stone pigment. Exposed storage in elevated spots between periods of use, explains why this patina differs from that of other masks of the period, stored in trunks and retaining their fresh, brilliant colors.

After buying the mask, I continued to roam the flea market. I soon ran into an old friend, Thomas Murray, a well known authority on Asian tribal art. When I showed him the mask, he immediately offered to buy it. Never opposed to considering a good deal, I was none the less wary of this offer to double my money in ten minutes! I decided instead to hold onto it.

Once home, I hung it on a wall, but it terrified my two-year-old daughter, so into a drawer it went. (ex 2 ) Tom would visit periodically, ask to see the mask, and offer ever increasing sums for it. He didn't think it was being appreciated, sitting in the closet, and should go to some one who could "see" it. The more he offered, the more curious I became. "What was it in this object that I couldn't recognize?" Finally, in exasperation, I asked for an explanation, even while telling him I was never going to sell it, no matter how much he offered.

Tom was happy to oblige. He considered the mask to be a 15th C. masterpiece, a Dharmapala, or Buddhist defender of the faith, from a provincial temple in Tibet. This deity was probably Mahakala, a wrathful manifestation of Shiva, a major Hindu deity. Masks of this kind were used in rituals called cham, masked dances that distill the essence of Buddhist beliefs in dramatic performances. The dense patina of 500 years of use proved its spiritual (ritual ) potency.

Tom supplied me with books on Himalayan art. He insisted that in order to develop a proper foundation in the subject, I must first do my home work. This would best be accomplished by building up a significant library. I became fascinated with the classical art of the Himalayan region, focusing on how artistic expressions in painting, bronze and stone related to mask forms. I read widely in Eurasian pre-history as well, learning about the Scythians, Huns, and Mongols of the Steppes. Their culture displayed affinities with that of Tibetan nomadic herdsmen. f.n. Tibet retained the Steppes nomadic animal style well into the 20th C..

(3) Garuda mask, North East Frontier, 17 th C., height 14 in. wood and horn with original stone pigments. The ancient Bon animist bird spirit, Khyung. Subsumed by later Buddhist imagery its shamanic connections are retained by its use of mountain goat horns.

My perception of the Mahakala began to change. Paradoxically, despite its frightening countenance, the mask radiated a calming presence. This quality suggested to me that the artistry concealed deeper, multiple meanings. I sensed it to be a physical representative of ideas that had survived millennia and dealt with the most basic human issues.

I was developing a strong sense of personal connection with the mask. Little post-modern Western art spoke to me in any way, and less so the esoteric 'critical' jargon of this period, disturbing for both its obscurity and absolute certainty as to interpretation of artistic meaning. Purely cerebral/aesthetic, late 20th. C. ideas, steeped in elitist ideologies, began to be replaced in my mind by artistic concepts that were more meaningful to me in their directness and their spirituality.

Masks of the Himalayas (or another header)

Masks of the Himalayas may be categorized into three basic groups, i.e., (ex 4, 5, & 6) classical , (associated with temples and monasteries); primitive/shamanic, (powerful art brut styles); and village/folk art creations, which bridge the two.

Primitive and village masks often display intriguing combinations of influences. Some are no doubt provincial versions of classical imagery, corrupted by distance from the court centers. Yet other "primitives" may represent direct and continuous lineage of ancient persona. Likewise the "classical" may easily be seen as more highly stylized expressions of ancient themes observed in the so-called "primitive school". I became aware of the underlying conceptual kinship that informed all of this artistic output; the universal animist/shamanic roots of the major religions.

In classical Tibetan art, canonical laws restrict interpretive expressions in devotional art forms. (ex 7) By varying increments of style within these confines, artisans are able to produce masterpieces of distinctly individual character. This principle applies to mask carving as well. Classical masks were disciplined products reflecting a conservative religious convention through the centuries, presenting hieratic forms that reflect the traditional images better known in bronzes and Thanka paintings, all of which were greatly influenced by the art of the Pala period in India (9th-12th C.).

(4) Garuda mask, North East Frontier, 17 th C., height 14 in. wood and horn with original stone pigments. The ancient Bon animist bird spirit, Khyung. Subsumed by later Buddhist imagery its shamanic connections are retained by its use of mountain goat horns.

It was clear to me by this time that early Tibetan classical masks were very rare, and consequently seldom on the market. Many had been destroyed by cultural upheavals in that country. Very old pieces of high quality from Nepal and Bhutan were equally scarce.

As my efforts to find such pieces intensified, the idea evolved of putting together a comprehensive collection of masks that would reflect both the artistic diversity and common heritage of the Himalayas. This became a binding commitment with far reaching consequences. Until then, my collecting decisions had lacked a clear direction.

My interest began to shift toward more primitive styles. More importantly, similarities with the tribal art of other regions - Siberia, Mongolia and Indonesia - raised intriguing questions about common origins and archetypes.

I came to view so called "primitive" masks, as the inheritors of an ancient Eurasian animist/shamanic tradition. They had the ability to convey direct emotion through the impact of their art brut sensibility. This quality no doubt in some way helped to catalyze the ecstatic, transformative experience that is the essence of shamanism- that is, the ability to stand outside oneself and so gain access to a "separate" reality. (ref.2 ) (ex 8)

Stark minimalist tribal styles had a simplicity that engaged my imagination. This was an exciting visual language in an unfamiliar semantic landscape. Some of these pieces succeeded by simple or exaggerated features depicted by rudimentary adze lines. Others displayed more formal symmetry. (ex) Because of unique cultural circumstances found in the Himalayas, ancient masks continued to be reused well into the 20th. C. It is possible that their context of use changed with the times, but not the reverence given to them.

This is particularly apparent in Nepal. Some Magar and Gurung masks from the middle hills region survive with layers of ancient patina so deep that they redefine the morphology of the surface. (ex 11) Few areas in the world produce such beautiful and varied patinas. Heirloom masks of the ancestors, power enhanced by centuries of use, had proven ritual efficacy. (ex 9, 10.) Many village masks exhibit both shamanic and theatrical aspects and may, in fact, have shared in both traditions.(ex) The correlations between shamanic rituals and early theater are highly significant; both involve dramatic aspects that engage the audience.

(5) Dharmapala mask, Tibet. 18th C. or earlier .H: 20 in. wood and pigment.The style of this rare mask is reminiscent of Tang Dynasty images

Some village masks entered the collection from the tropical Terai area of S. Nepal (ex 14, 15) These had a completely different feel and character from the middle hills masks. Layers of paint and pigment formed the patina rather than smoke/ butterfat mixtures characteristic of inside storage and handling. Often they were carved from softer woods, which display a different character as they age than highland hardwoods.

Also from Nepal, a beautifully carved classical masterpiece became available to me - a wooden mask of Indra , dated to the 17th C. This mask had remarkable stylistic similarities to Nepalese ceremonial copper repoussé masks of the period. Indra, originally the focus of earlier Vedic forms of shamanism as supreme sky deity, later became the Hindu "king of gods." The price of this mask was for me extremely high but by then I had realized that if you want to have a great collection, you must pay the worth of great pieces.

During this period I had begun collecting found objects, old rusty pieces of metal with interesting surface patinas, old wood in natural forms. These things came from varied sources: junkyards, flea markets, beach flotsam, and excavation. My main interest however, remained focused on collecting and documenting masks.

I was very flattered when the late Prof. Samuel Eilenberg, one of the worlds preeminent scholar/collectors, came by with Tom for a visit. He offered wise counsel on the art of collecting. The gist of his observations were, "Look for the very earliest pieces with a compelling aesthetic, buy the best available within your means, always strive for that which may be termed 'classical'. "Prof. Eilenberg also stressed the importance of having a trusted and knowledgeable adviser/dealer. In his taciturn manner, he let it be known that he approved of both the individual choices and the direction of the collection. To me this was the highest possible validation.