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

(6) Black dharmapala, Gon-po or temple mask. Central Tibet, circa 18th. C., height 11 in. ³ Paper mache² with original crushed stone pigments. The scarcity of trees in this area led to the production of masks made in molds, using layers of varied organic materials, including textiles, wood pulp, leather, etc. Because of their fragility few of these relatively early examples survive intact.

Virtues found in classical masks -refined finishes, finely detailed carving, near perfect symmetry, and canonical exactness - are not necessarily to be applied to tribal images. In this area, lack of sculptural refinement, asymmetry, and heavily patinated, altered surfaces are desirable features. In primitive masks, the apparent animistic "wildness" of conception is, in fact, far from being random. Over time, one begins to identify recurring characters.

Some primitive masks achieve stature by minimalist "absence" of features. On others, simple faceted cuts, adze marks, random scarring of long use, and exaggerated features can help create strong presences that seem informed by a demonic intelligence. (black rug) (ex 15, 16)

Each mask seemed to attract the next one. I acquired some masks from the restricted North East Frontier area of India. These masks were highly sophisticated and beautifully patinated examples from a tribal Buddhist tradition. Their use by Monpa and Sherdukpen people in masked dance dramas related to Tibetan cham rituals, which have roots in shamanism, has been well documented. (ref. 1)

Nothing can survive completely unchanged, but within Himalayan traditions, the tribal masks of Nepal form a unique repository of ancient imagery whose syntax has survived in few other forms. These images from the deep past seemed dense with temporal resonances that I felt more and more in tune with and whose faces began to populate my dreams.

The masks that inspire me the most are pieces that have been changed in so many ways by time and use that they may no longer resemble the original conception. This eroded quality suggests mysteries percolating beneath the surface. As well, the backs of old wooden masks that have been well used are often as interesting as the front. Front and back often seem to have been conceived as a continuum, in a visual as well as a tactile sense.(f.n. Petit) Repairs and later additions can also be very eloquent.

"Part of this Ancient Continuum"

During this period I began to make images myself: masks, transformational human/animal figures, and assemblages, - sculptural forms influenced by these ancient undercurrents. The materials I chose to work with were already in a state of transformation, and now the reason for collecting this discarded wood and metal began to reveal itself. The objects I constructed became, in a sense, the descendants of what I had collected and I came to believe that my work was in some way a part of this ancient continuum.  (ex 16, 17.)

(7) Red dharmapala, Gon-po or temple mask. Central Tibet, circa 18th. C., height 13 in. ³ Paper mache² with original crushed stone pigments. The scarcity of trees in this area led to the production of masks made in molds, using layers of varied organic materials, including textiles, wood pulp, leather, etc. This is a more typical rendition than the previous example

Old wood and metal carry traces of their passage through time, traces that are not always visual. Brancusi, for example, used to work with ancient house beams "impregnated for centuries by the happiness and sorrow of their inhabitants." (ref.4) Using wood and metal together creates a tension between the refined and the organic that allows for a more dynamic expression of both mediums. (ex 19) This synthesis is dictated by surface values. The texture of surface becomes part of the form rather than a "skin" covering it. One problem with this technique is that if the surface is too seductive, it may interfere with the perception of the form. This ambiguity became a personal device for exploring these interfaces.

For a long time I created for my own satisfaction only. I had no intention of sending these images out into the world. Free from political ax grinding and commercial constraints, they became vehicles for self exploration. These very insular motivations were themselves soon to transform.

Over time I began to get some feedback. Explaining my work was always more difficult than making it. I felt that the pieces should speak for themselves - communication was in the art; explanations were superfluous. Nevertheless, the dialogue continued. I resisted this at first, not wanting to be influenced by the preferences of others, but certain suggestions took root, bringing changes to my work which I no longer found necessary to resist. Sometimes this led to profound artistic crises, which in turn became the driving force for new explorations.

For example, my early work tended toward small and fragile constructions. People are wary of fragility in sculpture and soon these works developed into larger, more "solid"formats. Many of these were based on natural forms, and "found"objects, either incorporating, or imitating them. I try to keep all my work within a human scale, avoiding any suggestions of monumentality.

My work began to sell. Friends in the tribal and Asian art community began ask to buy my pieces. A contemporary art gallery in San Francisco, Lawrence Hultberg Fine Arts, purchased some pieces and offered a one man exhibit, as well as participation in several group shows. Tony Kitz gallery, also in San Francisco, specialists in antique carpets, began to feature some of my work , for its sense of Central Asian shamanism. London-based dealer Shirley Day acquired some work for exhibition.

( 8) Indra, Katmandu Valley, Nepal, circa 17th C., height 11 in. Although Indra was eventually ³demoted² in the Hindu pantheon, the legacy of the original meaning of the sky deity survives in the symbolism of ascent and its association with shamanic flight.

I began to see myself not so much as a collector but as an artist. I felt driven by the need to continue this imagery from the distant past and tried to give it some new meaning relevant to the present. The only means of achieving this goal was to open myself up to intuitive input by following the suggestions of the material, the dream state, and my own experiences in heightened awareness. (ex 18, 19.) I try to restrict my forms to what I call a tribal aesthetic. This is not a contrived "archaism" but an attempt to work within the boundaries of my predecessors. In a sense my lack of formal training allowed me greater artistic freedom, and earned me the label of "outsider" artist.

I continue to have mixed feelings about the need to explain, or even title, my work. In fact, I like to start out not knowing exactly "where the work is going"- the choice of materials and selection of the first structural component pointing the way. As the piece progresses I am more concerned with the rightness of the process than the final result.

Using mask-related sculptural suggestions - i.e., blurring the distinction between "inside" and "outside" has opened some challenging artistic territories. Interrupted volumes and openings to the " interior" invite the eye to access the "inside"as part of a continuum. I try to suggest the ambivalent nature of surfaces by drawing upon shamanic "x-ray" styles. (ex 20, 21)

Collecting has forced me to face more than a few troubling questions: Are masks removed from their cultural milieu in some way powerless and desanctified by lack of "authentic" use? Does hanging them on a wall as art objects count as use? Do power objects have "universal affect" or only the power granted to them by the audience? This is an old debate and definitive answers to these questions remain elusive, subjective, and in the end, perhaps meaningless.

All I can offer is my personal experience - the exposure to masks has transformed my life in almost every way. I have become a collector, researcher, and now an artist. There can be no doubt, that at least for me, these objects remain potent in their ability to transform.

Ref.1. For those interested in more detailed information on the Himalayan masking tradition,
I would recommend Thomas Murray's article "Demons and Deities" in the Hali 2 annual.

Ref.2 V. Elwin, Art of the NEFA of India, and Thomas Murray, "Demons and Deities."

Ref. 3 M. Eliade "Shamanism: Archaic techniques of Ecstasy."

Ref 4 G.W. Staempfli, "20th C Master Works in Wood."

Ref 5 WHO? "Dawn of Art: The Chauvet Cave"p.123, Harry Abrams, 1996.

Ref. 6 WHO? The Lotus Transcendent, p.80, 146 For earlier interpretations of this essential image, 2nd C. A.D. and 12th. C . A.D.

Illustrations The following illustrations appeared in the original article. Click on thumbnail to launch to an external window. Photo credits: Dennis Anderson, Don Tuttle, Scott McCue, Almac Photo.
	(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. (Ref.5.)
	(2) Dharmapala 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.
	(3) Mask fragment, Monpa/Sherdukpen tribes.East Bhutan/Arunachal Pradesh border area. 12 - 15 th C. H: 8.5 in.. Wood and pigment. Spirit figure resembling Japanese Noh masks of this period, to which there is a shared cultural impulse.
	(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.
	(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 .
	(6) Black dharmapala, Gon-po or temple mask. Central Tibet, circa 18th. C., height 11 in. "Paper mache" with original crushed stone pigments. The scarcity of trees in this area led to the production of masks made in molds, using layers of varied organic materials, including textiles, wood pulp, leather, etc. Because of their fragility few of these relatively early examples survive intact.
	(7) Red dharmapala, Gon-po or temple mask. Central Tibet, circa 18th. C., height 13 in. "Paper mache" with original crushed stone pigments. The scarcity of trees in this area led to the production of masks made in molds, using layers of varied organic materials, including textiles, wood pulp, leather, etc. This is a more typical rendition than the previous example.
	( 8) Indra, Katmandu Valley, Nepal, circa 17th C., height 11 in. Although Indra was eventually "demoted" in the Hindu pantheon, the legacy of the original meaning of the sky deity survives in the symbolism of ascent and its association with shamanic flight.
	(9) Cham mask depicting Steppes Tiger. Tibet or Bhutan. h: 11 in.Mold made. paper mulberry paste, unknown materials, pigments. A vital example of "animal style" art as a possible incarnation of Padmasambhava.
	(10) Citipati (Lord of the funeral pyre) mask. Tibet or Arunichal Pradesh.18 th C. H: 8 in. wood with pigment. Such images are used as a "memento mori", a reminder of the illusory nature of life.
	(11) primitive/shamanic mask from middle hills, Nepal. Gurung or Magar tribes. 17 th C. or earlier. H: 8 in. hardwood with crusty patina.
	(12 ) Black Dharmapala with white teeth. Tibet, circa 15th C., height 11 in. Hardwood with traces of original crushed mineral pigments and remains of beard and mustache. This mask, of an unknown deity, displays archaic features as well as a relationship with Citipati (skull) images. Is this a classical mask that has not yet formalised its roots, or a remote area version of classicism?
	(13) Primitive/shamanic mask from middle hills Nepal. 17/18 th C. H: 9.5 inches. This mask like the following example has marked similarities to Siberian masks associated with Shamanic practice.
	(14) Mask from middle hills area, Nepal, 19th C., height 9in. Spirit figure. An example of a relatively recent mask with great graphic presence. Masks like this, with the back uncarved, were not worn but hung on walls as threshold guardians. This mask takes advantage of naturally occuring eccentricities in burl wood.
	(15) Primitive/shamanic mask from middle hills, Nepal. This mask is one of a group that features a distinct character,( nicknamed "potato head" ) Unknown usage. Sculpturally this mask shows very different aspects from every angle. 17/18th C. H: 11 inches.
	(16) Magar or Gurung mask, middle hills, Nepal, 17-18th C. Height 9in. This distinctive character appears in many closely related versions, usually with beard and mustache. Use unknown.
	(17) Primitive/shamanic mask from middle hills, Nepal, H: 9.5 inch. Wood with pigment. The austere simplicity of this mask and its rare white color create a particularly powerful affect.
	(18) Mask from middle hills, Nepal. 17th C. or earlier, height 9 in.Thick layered black patina. Very heavy hardwood with petrified feel. Elemental graphics enhanced by early native repairs. Possibly used in early shamanic rituals involving blood sacrifice.
	(19) Mask from Terai region, S. Nepal, 18th C., height 10 in., wood. Such masks with twisted mouths have been compared to shamanic Tunghak spirit masks common to many Alaskan tribes. Other uses include folk- theatrical productions based on classical Hindu epic dramas.
	(20) Animal Mask from Terai area, S. Nepal, 18th. C.; height 12 in. Softwood with traces of original mineral pigments. Known as the ³Modigliani² These schematic monkey masks were used in dramatic performances by Tharu or Rajbansi tribesmen. A possible representation of Hanuman, the great helper of Rama in the Mahabharata epic.
	(21) Mask, Monpa/Sherdukpen tribes. E Bhutan or Arunachal Pradesh. 18/19th C. H: 8 in. Wood, pigment.The fine symmetric features resemble a Northwest Coast aesthetic. This together with its high gloss patina make this mask one of the most admired in the collection.
	(22) Mask: Monpa/Sherdukpen tribes. E Bhutan or Arunachal Pradesh. 18/19 th C. Wood, pigment. This piece captures the animal totem of the snow leopard, the most powerful predator of the mountains.
	(23) "Joker" Mask, Monpa/Sherdukpen tribes. height 10 in. 18/19th. C. Such masks, used for comic relief between the acts of dramatic performances, may have originally been used in shamanic rituals. Beard and headdress are the most recent of several replacements. This mask represents Houshang a monk who tried unsucessfully to convert Tibet to a Chinese form of Buddhism. Here depicted as a "comic" foreigner.
Sculpture The following images of the sculpture of Mort Golub appeared in the original article. To see more work by the artist, visit MysteryDance.com.
	(24a) Guardians of the portal. Shamanic group with animal guide. metal, pigments, and found objects, height 6 in., 1992. This was one of my early pieces and remains unique in both depicting a group and telling a story. Collection Thomas Murray, California.
	(25a) Mask, Threshold guardian. Patinated metal, pigments, and found objects, height 7in., 1994. Shirley Day Gallery, London.
	(26a) "Transition" 10.25 inch. found metal, pigments. This piece is the essence of transformation, with its rusty surface in the process of becoming something else. Private collection.
	(27a) Head 1995 10.5 inches. metal ,found objects, (wood armature) Inspired by Tibetan prototypes, this head is one of an ongoing series. private collection, California
	(28a) Dancing transformative being. Patinated metal, found objects, pigments., height 60 in., 1995. Inspired by ice age paintings of composite figures. Collection Thomas Murray, California.
	(29a) Masked striding figure with bird spirit.
	(30a) "threshhold guardian" found metal, wood, pigments.First fusion of wood and metal. height 31 inches. wall piece. private collection