Material & Assembly Acrylic gel mounted on plexiglas
Dimensions & Weight Total Height: 340 mm (13.39 inches) Total Width: 233 mm (9.17 inches) Total Weight: 1.5 kg (3.31 pounds US)
wasobia
wasobia is the recreation of a classic Nigerian bronze mask, made with an innovative acrylic material.
About wasobia Having lived in Nigeria for a total of 23 years, I wanted to pay homage to this beautiful country, united by its diversity of cultures, traditions and extraordinary people. For this reason I created a mask: wasobia. This particular mask I chose is said to depict the god of abundance and prosperity, Olokun. At the time these masks were produced, bronze was considered a high-tech material. Therefore I wanted to use a contemporary — equally innovative — material in order to give a modern interpretation to it, whilst preserving and staying true to its traditional authentic design. Wasobia is made using a unique one-of-a-kind engineered non-toxic acrylic material. It has a soft-touch feel, which doesn’t harden or age over time. Wasobia is available in six different colours. The term wazobia is a coinage of the verb "to come" pronounced in the three main languages spoken in Nigeria: WA in Yoruba, ZO in Hausa and BIA in Igbo. The term stands for "unity" or — rather — "let's get together, be united". Wasobia, a variation of “wazobia”, celebrates unity, peace and prosperity.
A brief history Benin City, together with Ile-Ife, is one of the most prominent cultural centers in Nigeria, known for its production of sophisticated copper and bronze artifacts. The pendant bronze masks were mainly produced there, generally representing gods or deities, which had been made exclusively for the Obas (kings) at the time back in the 15th century.
SPECS
Care For indoors display only Do not wash with water Clean with a dry, soft cloth