Uncle Joe.
Grinning Devil Mask.
c. 1930s-40s.
Wax, paint, glass eyes, carved wooden teeth.
Excellent condition.
13.5"h x 9"w x 6.5"d.
Est. $2,000-3,000. Ship: $65
Uncle Joe (c. 1900-1943, born in Poland, worked in Chicago)
Grace Glueck reviewed Uncle Joe's work in the Jan 28, 2000 issue of The New York Times in an article entitled Visionaries Who Portray reality from the Outside In, describing his work as "weird, fierce wax masks, crowns and mysterious fetishes carved with arcane symbols and paved with junk jewelry stones and doll's eyes." Uncle Joe worked at the Riverview Amusement Park (now closed). His work as Glueck pointed out "echoes the carnival imagery that surrounded him." These objects were found years ago in the closed off rooms that the artist had occupied in Chicago.They were debuted at the Outsider Art Fair in NYC in an exhibit entitled "Estate of Secretive Sculptures" curated by Chicago Gallerist, Aron Packer and the review in the Folk Art Messenger by David Levinson pronounced it, "This Years most exciting exhibit."