Agaba Mask I

Agaba Mask I is a striking visual invocation of ancestral presence, reinterpreted through John C. Ndupu’s signature symbolic linework. In this 16 x 20 inch pen & ink drawing, the artist distills the essence of the Agaba — a revered mask tradition among the Igbo people — into a dense, rhythmic lattice of form and energy.

Rather than replicating a literal mask, Ndupu explores its metaphysical weight. Intricate linear structures and spiraling motifs converge to suggest ceremonial power, layered identity, and spiritual force. The face is both revealed and obscured, emerging from a network of signs and signals — much like the role of the Agaba in masquerade: mediator between the seen and unseen.

Executed entirely in black ink, the absence of color heightens the tension and focus, revealing the spiritual blueprint beneath the surface. Agaba Mask I is both a tribute and a transformation — where cultural memory meets contemporary abstraction.