CHARLESTON, S.C.

On Sept. 21 "Spirit of the Mask," an exhibition that has made headlines all over the nation, will open at the Gibbes Museum of Art.

These masks are more than just simple disguises; they turn the secular world into the sacred and the mundane into the magical. In festivals and holidays around the world, these masks elevate humans into the realm of gods and demons alike. They exude a power that is both magical and evocative.

For centuries, the mask has been a part of rituals that involve musicians, singers and dancers. They have also functioned to personify spirits, gods or ancestors, to assume social control, to educate or to elude responsibility for one's actions. Mask performances have been important in rituals on the Indonesian Island of Bali. Some masks in Burma are even presented with offerings on a regular basis and are segregated according to their good or evil tendencies.

The masks in this exhibition date from early 1900s, and are often carved from wood, and decorated with a variety of local materials. Special masks are enhanced with boar's teeth, horsehair, jewels, gold leaf, coins, buffalo hide, goat hair, rabbit pelts, leathers, mirrors and even blood. Animal masks are especially known for having moveable mouths and protruding eyes with wide pupils.

Because of their beauty and power, masks can be seen in museums and appreciated as works of art. This display introduces the multiple cultures of five continents, more than 40 countries, and 11 Native American tribes. Some of the countries include Bali, Hungary, Burma, Thailand, India, Brazil, Bolivia, Denmark, Germany, Mexico, Guatemala, New Guinea as well as 11 African countries.

To emphasize the masks' authentic cultural usage, photographs and prints will accompany each display. This exhibition will travel to approximately 15 museums across the United States over the next two years.