As an initiated Hamat’sa dancer, Beau Dick’s work is not a mere interpretation but a lived expression of tradition, embodying both the spiritual depth and theatrical intensity of the Kwakwa̱ka̱ʼwakw culture he so powerfully represented. The Hamat’sa is now almost inseparable from the bird-monster trio, but, in his characteristic spirit of renewal, Dick reintroduced other beings associated with the group, including the ghost dancers, who, in some fashion, adorned wooden skulls to symbolize death and revival in the Winter Dance (Hawthorn, Kwakiutl Art, 1994, p. 29).

Offering a stark yet no less powerful reinterpretation of these spectral figures, Ba̱k’wa̱s Ghost Mask with Skull takes a distinct approach from the equally large Ba̱k’wa̱s Mask with Articulated Skeletal Figure, which was sold in our June 2024 auction (Lot 30). The present mask prioritizes boldness, favouring sweeping planes and well modulated forms over fine detail. This is not mere simplification but rather a deliberate shift in approach. One that reflects a different mode of storytelling through carving, where Dick engages with early, ephemeral mask-making traditions in which masks were quickly carved, used in ceremony, and ultimately destroyed. By forgoing intricate refinement, Dick channels the raw, gestural force of these historic works, balancing deep respect for tradition with his ever-present drive to innovate.

This balance between tradition and innovation is evident in the mask’s formal and symbolic elements as well. The inky black of the mask that is highlighted on the features with a sumptuous, smouldering sanguine red does more than create a visual intensity that is both striking and unsettling. This colouration serves as a deliberate marker of identity. It is a palette Dick frequently employed when depicting Ba̱k’wa̱s as well as Dzunuḵ̓wa. The ghost is also a companion closely associated with Ba̱k’wa̱s. A spectral figure, the ghost lingered at the edge of the woods, both threatening and beckoning.

In addition to the highly dramatic, bold, angular cuts that create the exaggerated proportions of the facial features to create a commanding presence, the entire mask has an underpaint of glitter. Dick, ever attuned to theatricality and performance, ensured it would shimmer even outside the firelight of the Big House. As well, this choice also reflects his engagement with historical practices. Early works were adorned with pulverized minerals such as mica schist, a technique later replaced by commercial glitter in the 20th century for the same effect.

References: The author expresses deep gratitude to Christopher W. Smith for his patience and generosity in answering every question, no matter how many there were. For a similar work with a white and grey wash, see Bookwus Ghost Mask, 2012, at the National Gallery of Canada, Ottawa, Ont, no. 46607, Darrin J. Martens, Beau Dick: Revolutionary Spirit, (Vancouver: Figure.1 Publishing / Whistler: Audain Art Museum, 2018), pl., p. 52, A, which is also reproduced on the back cover. For information of ghost masks in the winter ceremony, see Audrey Hawthon, Kwakuitl Art, 2nd ed., (Seattle, WA: University of Washington Press, 1994), pp. 29, figs. 198-203. For works that use Mica Schist see a Kwakwa̱ka̱ʼwakw da̱nt̕sikw (Power Board), made before 1930, in the collection of the Museum of Anthropology, UBC, Object No. Nb3.1354.