A kifwebe (mask) represents a hybrid of human, animal, and spirit elements operating outside of the natural order of Luba daily life. There are male and female types, but the masks are worn only by male initiates of the esoteric Bwadi Bwa Bifwebe Brotherhoods. Signifying both good (female) and evil (male), the wide variations in this masking type—bold shapes, facial details, juxtapositions of color, striations—embody the arcane energies that may confront individuals and communities. Traditional performances are intended to promote village harmony and enforce social order. The masks are used in funeral ceremonies, new moon rites, witchcraft, and more. In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, performances continue to evolve, occasionally incorporating new elements or types, such as this female example, sometimes identified as “La belle Madeleine,” perhaps a reference to the Mary Magdalen of Christian iconography.
Provenance: Lucien de Velde, Belgium; sold to Victor Crean, Antwerp, Belgium, seller 2001; Christopher Evers, Brussels, Belgium (#538); Roger Bourahimou, Brussels, Belgium; Woods Davy, Los Angeles; gift to LACMA from Woods Davy and Kathleen Dantini, 2023.
