Serpent masks of this kind were traditionally carved from hand-split cedar boards, engineered not only for visual impact but for performative function. Piercings, like those visible here, do double duty, sharpening expression while trimming weight, and in this example the boards are planed to a remarkable thinness, as if the form has been coaxed toward air. Every decision is made with a moving body in mind.

In performance, the dancer would take a semi-crouched stance and turn the head slowly from side to side, scanning the space for something unseen yet urgent. A robe, cape-like and flowing, would catch each shift, turning small motions into larger arcs of change.

Within the headdress itself, saturated reds, yellows, greens, and blues press forward against the natural wood grain. Bold white and black contrasts hold the structure together, acting as pivots that pull the eye, release it, and pull again, until the whole composition feels animated even at rest.