Brain Cancer Headdress for Maro

Athena Tacha, artist

born 1936

Brain Cancer Headdress for Maro, 1992

Where object was made: United States

Material/technique: oyster shell; clay; glue; polyurethane foam

Dimensions:
Object Height/Width/Depth (Height x Width x Depth): 28 x 30.5 x 35.5 cm
Object Height/Width/Depth (Height x Width x Depth): 11 x 12 x 14 in

Credit line: Gift of the artist

Accession number: 1998.0137

Not on display

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In 1992, Anthena Tacha experienced her first direct confrontation with death when two of her closest friends passed away from cancer. In response, she grappled with vulnerability and the delicate nature of the human body through organic materials, such as dead mollusk shells and clay, and recycled human-made materials, like polyurethane foam. This mask, conceived as a wearable sculpture, “reveals more than it conceals,” reflecting Tacha’s view that our bodies, while carrying and protecting us all our lives, are vulnerable to forces of nature. Bodies are, ultimately, “armors that cannot protect.” Tacha states that while this work was born out of intense pain, it ultimately helped her reconcile her grief.