Its creation draws on materials gathered from the natural environment and on a savoir-faire passed down through generations.

 

And what is fascinating is what happens when the mask leaves that world.

 

Because no two can ever be reproduced.

 

Palm leaves are never quite the same. Fibers respond differently to handwork. Plant dyes produce their own variations in color. And the gestures of each artisan give the volume, texture, and details an expression of their own.

 

But their uniqueness goes far beyond material and technique.

 

Each mask is a work of art in which the artisan calls upon her memories, dreams, lived experience, and relationship with the world around her to give birth to a protective spirit. The mask becomes her own language with the invisible world: something intimate and personal finds expression through it.

 

There is therefore no “model” in the Western sense of the word.

 

Each mask is an interpretation, a presence, a unique work of art.

 

This is what gives them their strength. They are neither mass-produced decorative objects nor reproductions of an ancient heritage. They retain something of their origins while being able to enter into dialogue with architecture and contemporary art.

 

Since 2012, I have worked directly with Emberá and Wounaan women in the Darién, Panama, to preserve and share this savoir-faire through pieces created in particular for architects, interior designers, and collectors.

 

No piece can ever be "commissioned" like the one before it.

 

Perhaps that is their greatest luxury.

 

If you are currently working on a project and would like a particular selection, in terms of dimensions, shapes, animals, or tones, I would be delighted to prepare one for you.