We all wear masks to some degree. There is the person we are with friends, the person we are at work, the person strangers see, and the version of ourselves that very few people ever really know.
Oni Samurai Mask grew from that idea. Inspired by the fierce forms of traditional Japanese masks and samurai imagery, this solid brass challenge coin explores the masks we use for protection, confidence and identity.
THE IDEA BEHIND ONI SAMURAI MASK
A mask does not always mean we are hiding something. Sometimes it gives us the strength to face what is in front of us. But wear one long enough and the line between the mask and the person underneath can become difficult to see.
Oni Samurai Mask was made as a reminder to recognize both.
A HANDMADE BRASS COIN
Each coin begins as a thick blank of solid brass and is individually engraved in deep sculpted relief. The raised surfaces are polished while the recessed areas are darkened by hand, bringing out the fierce expression of the mask and the flowing forms surrounding it.
The sculpted design draws from Japanese Oni masks and samurai armor, combining an intimidating expression with sweeping ornamental forms that give the piece its movement and character.
Every coin is engraved, darkened, polished and finished by hand in Québec, Canada. Small variations in tone and finish are part of the process, making each piece slightly different from the next.
DETAILS
- Solid brass
- 40 or 50 mm diameter
- 6 or 8 mm thick blank
- Deep sculpted relief
- Japanese Oni and samurai-inspired design
- Hand-darkened and polished finish
- Designed and finished by hand in Québec, Canada
- Made in small batches by Le Rocher Noir
MORE THAN AN OBJECT
Oni Samurai Mask was made to be held, carried and revisited. This handmade brass coin can be kept as a pocket piece, displayed as a small work of brass art, or carried as a reminder that the faces we present to the world can become part of who we are.
Sometimes the mask protects us. Sometimes it reveals us.
