This mask embodies Ba̱k’wa̱s, the man-eating spirit of the forest, with powerful precision that rings throughout its every menacing feature. Amidst the diverse styles of the Northwest Coast, Beau Dick's portrayal of Ba̱k’wa̱s reflects a clear fidelity to Kwakwa̱ka̱ʼwakw symbolism, deeply rooted in Dick’s multifaceted connection to his culture. Reflecting an awareness of traditional portrayals of Ba̱k’wa̱s, the intense, almost feral expression of the present mask evokes a sense of malevolence, while the green surrounding the eye sockets calls forth the haunting presence of the forest in which Ba̱k’wa̱s lurks. The prominent hooked nose – reminiscent of a fearsome predator's beak – and the taut lips that curl back to expose a sinister smile, heightens the creature’s dreadful nature. Completing the portrait, wild, disheveled hair is deftly affixed around the rim of the mask to reinforce the feral energy of this terrifying figure.

Maintaining a continuance with Kwakwa̱ka̱ʼwakw visual language, the skeletal, gaunt appearance, of this mask refers to Ba̱k’wa̱s’s role as the Chief of Ghosts. While the artist’s carving and shaping of the wood is characteristically masterful, he elevates the ghostly effect by affixing leather to create deep, cavernous wrinkles. The leather, pigmented in red and black, is pinched and stretched over the brow and forehead as well as along the cheeks and chin, to evoke the effect of decay or rotting flesh. The use of leather to communicate the features for which Ba̱k’wa̱s was so known but with greater tactile realism showcases the innovative, creative brilliance that makes Beau Dick's work so extraordinary.

Through his virtually unmatched mastery of colour and texture, this Ba̱k’wa̱s Mask is brought to life, as though it were being danced in the glittering glow of firelight in a big house. The artist’s meticulous blending of red and black paints creates a dynamic interplay, making the mask appear to shift and move with changing light and shadow, despite being an inanimate object. As an initiated Hamat'sa dancer, Beau Dick was captivated by the powerful energy of cultural dances, which fueled his imagination and infused his works with theatrical intensity. He understood that mask making was a vibrant, living expression of Kwakwa̱ka̱ʼwakw culture, with each mask meant to ignite with life.

References: For similar work with leather features by Beau Dick, see LaTiesha Fazakas, et. al., Beau Dick: Devoured by Consumerism, (Vancouver: Figure 1 Publishing, 2019), p. 63. Diane Iona Persson discusses in depth the the composition of several Ba̱k’wa̱s masks using a systematic examination of mask attributes according to 36 variables and the frequency with which they occurred, See Diane Iona Persson, Mask, Myth, and Ritual: An Analysis of Interrelationships on the Northwest Coast. Master's thesis, University of Victoria, 1974. At the Museum of Anthropology at UBC, there is a mask, id. no. A5324, which incorporates leather along the sides. It is likely that Beau Dick was aware of this work and may have drawn inspiration from it. However, in the MOA mask, the leather serves a functional purpose as headgear, designed to allow the mask to be worn during performances.