Deformity Masks and Their Role in African Cultures

This is the first publication featuring Ann Goerdt’s distinguished collection of African deformity masks and figures. Published in conjunction with an exhibition held in the QCC Art Gallery / CUNY, the book examines the cultural meaning, and ritual use of these enigmatic artworks including an in-depth look at the medical history of the region. The publication considers an extensive range of physical abnormalities and their corresponding illnesses. The sculptures in the Goerdt collection originate from a variety of cultures throughout Africa with an emphasis on the Ibibio in Nigeria.