Mexican masks on exhibit at museum

George Palovich of the West Valley Art Museum submitted this information on an exhibit.

The West Valley Art Museum is showing a group of Mexican masks from the collection of Russ Todd, who this year loaned the museum a portion of his Mexican comic book collection.

The exhibit at the Museum in Surprise will remain up until July 27.

As early as 3000 BC, the Mayans used masks in ceremonies and in battle. Warriors would don the masks to invoke the power of the gods. Masks were used in sacrificial worship. Throughout Mexico and the Yucatan peninsula, artists continue the tradition of creating masks.

The Spanish conquistadors and missionaries borrowed from this tradition, constructing elaborate and awe-inspiring masks to create dramatic presentations of the Christian faith. As Christianity spread, the two cultures fused and the folk art of the masks reflects the change.

The traditional use of these masks declined within the last century, and many of the ceremonial masks were lost to the climate and to disuse. However folk artists have stepped forward to continue the tradition, creating masks of wood, clay, bone and wax for the collector market.

Today's collector of Mexican masks recognizes the traditional elements and enjoys the masks for their beauty, craftsmanship, cultural importance and their mystique.

Many masks combine human and animal features to create a fascinating fusion of both. Bats, jaguars, birds, snakes and lizards are can commonly be identified in the mask. Some cover the human face while in others it is difficult to discern where the human face ends and the animal one begins. The vintage artist may use a variety of media to create these masks, often determined by local availability.

Still today, the masks remain significant in the Mexican culture. The ceremonies surrounding the Day of the Dead and Soul's day require the use of the mask. The popular use of the mask in lucha libre (wrestling) continues this millennium-old tradition.

The importance of the dance cannot be understated in relation to the masks and their use. Ritual dance, in many cultures is the display of the heart of the people and the expression of their soul.