A detailed close-up portrait photograph of the Jollay Society 'Fairy' Masquerade Ensemble created in 2023 by Sheku 'Goldenfinger' Fofanah and tailor Dezo Sesay, commissioned for the Fitchburg Art Museum. Set against a plain light grey backdrop, the tight shot focuses on the carved wooden face mask featuring a slight smile, extended tongue, and dark carved hair, framed by white lace borders and colorful tassels in pink, yellow, and blue. The intricate, layered garments are adorned with blue, gold, and purple metallic sequins, embroidered red lace, gold trim, and hanging white tassels.Sheku ‘Goldenfinger’ Fofanah with Dezo Sesay, tailor. Jollay Society ‘Fairy’ Masquerade Ensemble, 2023. Commissioned for Fitchburg Art Museum. Credit: Sesthasak Boonchai / New Orleans Museum of Art

We all wear masks, metaphorically speaking, and MFA St. Pete wants to explore that.

St. Petersburg’s art museum goes global this summer and welcomes the work of four artists from central and west Africa to Beach Drive.

“New African Masquerades: Artistic Innovations and Collaborations” opens this weekend, and is on view just past New Years Day, featuring the work of Chief Ekpenyong Bassey Nsa (Nigeria), Sheku “Goldenfinger” Fofanah (Sierra Leone), David Sanou (Burkina Faso), and Hervé Youmbi (Cameroon) who’re all showcasing the depth of the masquerade by going well beyond face coverings into full-body works of art.

Far more than some staid reflection on costume, the exhibit offers close encounters with the embellishment, craft and sculpting that goes into ensembles that deconstruct any preconceptions about African traditions—and then supplements the look with photography, recorded interviews and immersive video (pictured is detail on the Jollay Society “Fairy” Masquerade Ensemble by Fofanah)

DJ Nilla Green plays a members-only preview on Thursday before MFA St. Pete welcomes curators from the New Orleans Museum of Art (which organized the show) for early morning talks on Saturday.

Details on the opening festivities are available in Creative Loafing Tampa Bay’s weekly rundown of the best things to do this weekend.

‘New African Masquerades: Artistic Innovations and Collaborations’ is on view Aug. 15-Jan. 3 and included with admission to MFA St. Pete, which starts at $12 (children six and under get in free).

A studio photograph of the full life-size Afia Awan Masquerade Ensemble artwork created in 2022 by Chief Ekpenyong Bassey Nsa, held in the collection of the New Orleans Museum of Art. Displayed against a neutral light grey backdrop, the figure is dressed in a layered masquerade costume featuring a large, textured white headpiece, a wide collar trimmed in red fabric with intricate metallic gold embroidery, and a voluminous white ruffled skirt. The dark arms, legs, and bare feet are detailed with matching embroidered red-and-gold cuffs at the wrists and ankles.Chief Ekpenyong Bassey Nsa. Afia Awan Masquerade Ensemble, 2022. Polyester fabric, racia, leather; life-size. Collection of the New Orleans Museum of Art, museum purchase, Françoise Billion Richardson Fund, 2022.85.a-.h. Credit: Sesthasak Boonchai / New Orleans Museum of Art

A photograph showing Sheku 'Goldenfinger' Fofanah standing between two masqueraders during the Massaboni Ordehlay procession in Lunsar, Sierra Leone, on December 26, 2022. Captured outdoors in a full-length wide shot, Fofanah stands centered wearing a black top hat, a patterned blue-and-white waist wrap, white sneakers, and arm bands while holding a wooden staff and green leafy branches. He is flanked on both sides by elaborate Mami Wata masquerade figures wearing dark, heavy raffia suits, tall horned headpieces with white feathers, and ankle cuffs while holding tall wooden staffs against an outdoor village backdrop.Sheku ‘Goldenfinger’ Fofanah parading with his Mami Wata devil during the Massaboni Ordehlay procession in Lunsar, Sierra Leone on Dec. 26, 2022. Credit: Amanda M. Maples

A full-length studio photograph of the Jollay Society 'Fairy' Masquerade Ensemble created in 2023 by Sheku 'Goldenfinger' Fofanah and tailor Dezo Sesay, commissioned for the Fitchburg Art Museum. Displayed against a plain light grey backdrop, the life-size masquerade figure stands facing left in a richly detailed, multi-colored garment decorated with metallic sequins, red lace trims, and gold fringe. The figure wears a carved wooden face mask under a dark veil and headpiece, holding a large grey feathered flywhisk broom across its torso while standing in red embroidered shoes.Sheku ‘Goldenfinger’ Fofanah with Dezo Sesay, tailor. Jollay Society ‘Fairy’ Masquerade Ensemble, 2023. Commissioned for Fitchburg Art Museum. Credit: Sesthasak Boonchai / New Orleans Museum of Art

An outdoor photograph showing Sheku 'Goldenfinger' Fofanah leading a procession with his Mami Wata devil during the Massaboni Ordehlay procession in Lunsar, Sierra Leone, on December 26, 2022. Captured in a full-length wide shot along a dirt road under a clear blue sky, Fofanah walks forward wearing a short-sleeved camo shirt, brown shorts, sandals, a black baseball cap, and a crossbody bag while holding a wooden staff. Immediately behind him, a towering Mami Wata masquerader wears an elaborate, ornate suit embellished with circular mirror discs, gold fringe, and multi-colored patterned textiles, topped with a mannequin-like headpiece wearing a long dark wig. Onlookers and procession participants surround them along the dusty road framed by lush green trees in the background.Sheku ‘Goldenfinger’ Fofanah parading with his Mami Wata devil during the Massaboni Ordehlay procession in Lunsar, Sierra Leone on Dec. 26, 2022. Credit: Amanda M. Maples

A studio photograph of the full life-size Kimi Masquerade Ensemble artwork created in 2022 by David Sanou (headpiece carved in the studio of André Sanou, with an anonymous body maker), commissioned for the Fitchburg Art Museum. Displayed against a plain neutral grey backdrop, the figure stands in a full raffia-fiber suit featuring alternating panels of vibrant magenta, slate blue, and natural tan fibers. Attached to the head is a geometric, carved wooden mask topped with an angled, multi-colored plank extension painted in black, white, yellow, red, and green geometric patterns with bird-like motifs.David Sanou (headpiece carved in the studio of André Sanou); the maker of the body requests anonymity. Kimi Masquerade Ensemble in Honor of André Sanou’s “Qui Dit Mieux?”, 2022. Wood, fibers, glue, synthetic dyes, and paints; dimensions variable. Commissioned for Fitchburg Art Museum in 2022. Credit: Sesthasak Booncha / New Orleans Museum of Art

An outdoor photograph showing a pair of Kimi masks with headpieces carved by David Sanou in the studio of André Sanou performing greetings in the Bindougosso district of Bobo-Dioulasso, Burkina Faso, on May 3, 2022. Captured in a dynamic low-angle wide shot in a dusty open-air village square, two masqueraders dance in voluminous suits constructed from bright red, teal, and gold raffia fibers, topped with carved geometric wooden headpieces featuring painted patterns and tall vertical crest extensions. In the background, lead griot Tchiedo plays a traditional drum alongside a crowd of seated spectators watching the performance under an open sky.A pair of Kimi masks (headpiece carved by David Sanou in the studio of André Sanou) performing greetings with the lead griot Tchiedo playing his drum behind them in the Bindougosso district, Bobo-Dioulasso, Burkina Faso on May 3, 2022. Credit: Lisa Homann

A studio photograph of the full-length Tso Scream Mask ensemble from the Visages de masques (IX) series (2015–23) by artist Hervé Youmbi, in the collection of the New Orleans Museum of Art. Displayed center frame against a gradient background transitioning from black to white, the intricate masquerade outfit features a beaded white face mask resembling the iconic Scream mask with dark hollow eyes, an open mouth, large circular ear discs, and a tall red-and-white crown structure. A long central front panel covered in white, black, and red geometric beadwork extends down the torso over a dark blue patterned tunic and a black velvet skirt decorated with colorful embroidered symbols. Hands wearing long, dark horsehair flywhisks hold tall beaded staves on either side of the figure.Hervé Youmbi. Tso Scream Mask, Visages de masques (IX) series (detail), 2015–23. Wood, pigment, fiber, beads, textile, glue, velvet and cotton fabric, silk embroidery, and horsehair. Collection of the New Orleans Museum of Art, museum purchase, Robert P. Gordy Fund, 2023.38.1- .7. Credit: Hervé Youmbi / New Orleans Museum of Art

An outdoor photograph showing Hervé Youmbi's Tso Scream Mask and Tso Scream Leopard Mask performing at the Nka’a Kossié society succession ceremony at the Fondati Chieftaincy on December 3, 2022. Captured in a medium-wide shot on a grassy hillside, four masked masqueraders walk single-file from left to right holding long wooden staves and light-colored horsehair flywhisks. On the left, the Tso Scream Mask wearer sports the white beaded Scream-style face mask and a red-and-white crown structure, followed by the yellow-masked Tso Scream Leopard Mask wearer and two additional masqueraders in dark headpieces and embroidered tunics, set against a background of green hills and a concrete building under natural daylight.Hervé Youmbi, Tso Scream Mask and Tso Scream Leopard Mask at the Nka’a Kossié society succession ceremony at Fondati Chieftaincy on Dec. 3, 2022 Credit: Hervé Youmbi / ourtesy of the artist and Axis Gallery, New York and New Jersey

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This article appears in August 13 – 19, 2026.

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