Animal Masks

I think of these as “Masks” or “Helmets” rather than animal heads.

The distinction is that they incorporate the prominent features of the animal’s appearance or anatomy, but they have been simplified, stylized, and animated.

It is very obvious that they are hollow.

Their historical influences and foundations are found in carved wooden Indian masks from the Northwest Coast of the United States, African figurative totems, Mexican folkart masks, Japanese Haniwa Tomb sculpture. Their more contemporary foundations come from the Walt Disney, Hanna Barbera, and Looney Tunes cartoon characters of my youth like Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Tweety Bird, Mickey Mouse, and Winnie the Pooh.

Ken Little  1988