Torres Strait Mask

The mask is from the Torres Straits near Papua New Guinea and is constructed from turtle shell and human hair. It has been beautifully decorated using pigments which are very sensitive to touching. The piece was carefully cleaned using dry methods and repair work was done on the damaged lattice work shell.

A mount was created for display using a template made from the mask. Finer adjustments to the shape of the plasterzote were made before the aluminum tape was applied to seal the plasterzote. Then an unbleached cotton cover was applied over which the mask would sit.

Finally a storage box was created for the piece using the mount already made and using conservation grade materials in order to physically protect the mask from damage in storage and from dust.