Painting in acrylic on canvas from 2025, by Vanessa Playford.

Artist note: this work is based on an African "Toma" mask. Toma masks are striking for their stark simplicity of form, economy of line, and heavy sacrificial patina. Representing the major forest spirit (known as “Dandai” or “Landa”):

Original image from Tribal Art magazine, Belgium. 

dimensions (incl. frame)
height: 38.5cm
width: 31cm
depth: 5.5cm
weight: 870g

canvas
height: 35.5cm
width: 28cm

Painting.
Acrylic on canvas.
Solid walnut frame.
Made in Australia.

See our full selection of work by Vanessa Playford.

Vanessa Playford lives and works in Sydney, Australia. She is a self proclaimed "outsider artist" and has pursed her own journey into abstraction to investigate the many forms of emotion and space within the human condition.

Complimenting her abstract practice is a series of figurative works based on tribal masks and objects, stemming from extensive travels to New Mexico, South America, Mexico, Papua New Guinea and North Africa, as well as an education in Oceanic and North American tribal arts. She sees these powerful works from First Nations peoples as vehicles for important storytelling, strength and status.

Read more about Vanessa Playford.