Patrick Amos (b.1957 Nuu-chah-nulth) "Sun Mask"

ca2001
45"x60"x6"

Hand carved from cedar. Exceptional carved and polychrome painted u-form mask with woven cedar bark rope edgework. Signed and dated on verso, executed with Hugh Sam. Excellent condition.

The Nuu-chah-nulth are Northwest Coast Indigenous peoples known for their sophisticated cedar wood carvings, including masks used in ceremonies, dances, potlatches, and winter rituals. Masks often represent animals, ancestors, supernatural beings, or celestial elements. Sun masks specifically symbolize the Sun — a powerful life-giving force associated with warmth, light, healing, abundance, and the daily journey across the sky (from east to west).In Nuu-chah-nulth and neighboring traditions (such as Kwakwaka'wakw), the Sun is sometimes viewed as a female being paired with the Moon (often male). It appears in origin stories, family crests, and dances that reenact cosmic movements or supernatural encounters.
Sun masks are typically worn or displayed during ceremonial performances. Some are part of transformation sequences or used with regalia like abalone-inlaid blankets or cedar bark elements to evoke the sun's rays and motion.