Masks

I think masks can represent a culture pretty well. They embody the artistic and religious traditions of that culture, and whether their purpose was to celebrate, entertain, or fight off evil spirits they show us a glimpse into the minds of the ancient peoples.
Let's start off with some traditional masks. I really need some inspiration for my mask project.

African:

This one above is from an amazing photoset by National Geographic, depicting modern mask-wearers in Africa.

Oceania:
Oceanic art gives me the creeps, but it also has some of the most diverse and creative style. Perfect for Halloween, I guess.

Bali:

Native American:

I'm actually spending way too much time on researching this. Time to start on other homework.
For my own mask, I'm hoping to make it less humanoid and more abstract. Like what many traditional masks aim to do, transforming the wearer into something more than human and even spiritual. I'm also planning on using recycled materials. If I have the time, I might even be able to put together a whole outfit to go with the mask. Right now, I'm struggling on possibly choosing a theme for my mask so the designs can be based on an idea.