Remasking taps into the rich history of Igbo culture, focusing on the traditions of masquerade designs from my ancestral homeland in southeastern Nigeria. Embracing the handmade costuming of the tradition, I intertwine sacred elements of masquerade silhouettes and tactile resources with contemporary storytelling. Key to exploring this tradition is the feminist lens through which I attempt to understand and portray it to an American audience.

I utilize video, sound, ceramics, and fashion-inspired sculpture to reclaim the portrayal of feminine beauty that traditional masquerade displays have sought to do. In the video performance, I adorn myself as the unorthodox female dancer in a handcrafted silhouette, occupying a traditionally male-dominated space. My silhouette transforms the standard costumes I reference, by accentuating my figure and emphasizing the breasts and hips passed down generationally.

By transforming this ritualistic and festive space, I contemporize ancient practices and beliefs. Below the masquerade sculpture, a field of red dirt transports the viewer to the roads and colors of my family’s village. Buried within the dirt are ceramic masks that reference traditional Igbo styles and the spirits that masquerade dancers personify.

While the video projections evoke the divinity of dance, the accompanying dynamic sound incorporates traditional drumming arrangements and vocals. Elements of these sounds are from my collaborations with the local education and ensemble group, AfricaNashville, and resident artists Ibrahim Dioubate and Windship Boyd.

This project is a celebration and preservation of tradition, intertwining personal discovery with cultural reconnection for a Nigerian-American artist. It confronts the patriarchal expressions embedded within these traditions, striving to inclusively engage both the performer and the audience in a captivating celebration and consideration of Igbo heritage.