Attribution Incomplete Notice
Collections and items in our institution have incomplete, inaccurate, and/or missing attribution. We are using this notice to clearly identify this material so that it can be updated, or corrected by communities of origin. Our institution is committed to collaboration and partnerships to address this problem of incorrect or missing attribution.
Open to Collaborate Notice
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Traditional Knowledge Notice
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Artwork Details
L: 64 in.
Accession NumberPeggy S. Gilfoy Memorial Fund
CopyrightGallery Labels
Gallery Labels
Egungun, meaning "powers concealed," is a masquerade associated with the honoring of ancestors. It is an important link between the worlds of the living and the dead. The maskers appear at annual festivals and at funerals. Two of their responsibilities are to console loved ones and to mediate between the two worlds. There is also an element of entertainment and social commentary.
The masker is completely covered by layers of cloth panels. The inner part is constructed of local handmade cloth. The outer panels, which are added every year, are usually made of expensive, imported textiles.
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Metadata about the Indianapolis Museum of Art’s collection comes from Newfields’ records and research. In some cases, information may be incomplete and research is ongoing. Newfields’ goal is to have as up-to-date metadata as possible, therefore, this information is subject to change. Newfields collections’ metadata is available under a Creative Commons Zero (CC0) waiver, which allows for re-use without legal restrictions.
Artworks that appear in the image file(s) above may be in copyright or have other legal and/or cultural restrictions to their use. For clarity, Newfields does not claim copyright to the image files created by Newfields of artworks in the Indianapolis Museum of Art’s collection. Newfields makes every effort to ascertain the copyright status of artworks in the Indianapolis Museum of Art’s collection. Please refer to the RightsStatements.org statement above for information about the current copyright status of the artwork. Additionally, some artworks may include Local Context’s Notices or Labels that attribute cultural authority of the artwork’s heritage and data.
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