Beginning sometime around 2006 some creative artists began carving some interesting and heartfelt contemporary masks from red rosewood or Pterocarpus indicus. Using this versatile medium, which ages beautifully with time and oiling, they came up with a variety of shapes and variations on the more traditional Timorese masks.
As one of my missions over the 30 years field collecting in Timor I have taken care to tread lightly and watch what I leave behind. Given that I did not influence the creation of these masks I feel that they are a worthy representation of an evolving craft. Craft in any culture is not a static thing and to bear witness to this evolution has been a special highlight of my career.
Copyright Julie Emery 22/02/2022©