Wood mask, Elephant's Effort
With attentive ears, curious eyes and a strong trunk, this young elephant is ready to take on any challenge. Daniel Nyadedzor carves a handsome mask from Ghana's Ewe people, named Atiglinyi (Elephant). Such masks are given to someone who has been able to achieve a huge and difficult assignment successfully.
Wood mask, Elephant Incognito
The elephant's expression is one of serene wisdom, sculpted by Made Sarna. In Bali, the elephant symbolizes loyalty and power. This lovely mask is carved of albesia wood and decorated by hand. A skilled wood-worker, Sarna is also an accomplished painter who applies his vast expertise to each work of art.
Nepalese Elephant Mask
Gorgeously hand-carved from cottonwood and hand-painted in bold colors by Nepalese artisans.
Sacred Man-Elephant I mask
Nyoman Subrata vividly carves this image of Lord Ganesha, able to control the occult forces that bring disaster upon humankind. Each intricate detail exalts the natural beauty of suar wood, as the artist's hands sculpt the material to represent Hindu aesthetics. A worthy adornment for the refined interior. Lord Ganesha is known as the remover of obstacles within the Hindu pantheon. The oldest son of Lord Shiva, he is often worshipped at the beginning of auspicious performances in hopes of receiving his blessing. He bears the head of an elephant and represents tremendous wisdom, intelligence and presence of mind. When Ganesha was a small boy, he mischievously prevented Lord Shiva from entering the bathroom where his mother Parvati was taking a bath. The furious Shiva cut off Ganesha's head. Devastated and hysterical, Parvati begged Shiva to help her poor son. Shiva then cut off the head of an elephant and attached it to the boy's body.
Sacred Man-Elephant II mask
This sono mask of Lord Ganesha evidences Nyoman Subrata's infinite carving wisdom - he creates this mask with in elaborate detail that befits such a revered Hindu deity. Ganesha possesses a human body and the head of an elephant. His image is riddled with symbolic meaning, for his large elephant head signifies wisdom, understanding, and the intelligence to discern right from wrong. His wide mouth symbolizes the natural human desire to enjoy life, and large ears signify that a perfect person is one who possesses the capacity to listen to others and assimilate ideas. Ganesha's trunk symbolizes the mind's strength to cope with life's ups and downs yet delicate enough to be capable of introspection - just like an elephant's trunk can down trees while also lift a needle off the ground. Elephant eyes are said to perceive objects bigger than what they really are, thus Ganesha's eyes imply that regardless of one becoming bigger and bigger in wisdom and wealth, one should perceive others as bigger, and surrender pride to humility. The story of Ganesha begins with the god Siwa as he meditates with his pregnant consort, the Goddess Siwa, in Kailasa palace on the peak of Ice Mountain. During their time of introspection, a powerful demon appears wanting to destroy heaven and can only be stopped by a demi-god who is neither animal nor human, but rather a combination of the two. The group of gods brings an elephant before Siwa, who has just given birth. She casts a powerful spell upon the unwitting creature, causing her newborn baby to take on characteristics of the powerful elephant and, in effect, creating the half-animal, half-man demi-god that can fight off the demon. The baby Ganesha then succeeds in killing the cruel demon and solidifying his legend. Ganesha is thus endowed with the power to keep under control the occult forces that bring disaster upon humankind.
