African masks are considered amongst the finest creations in the art world and are highly sought after by art collectors. There is a huge variety of mask types found in Africa which makes classifying them a difficult task. Face masks are the most common mask type.
 They are used throughout Africa. The artists who create mask are given a special status. They use various materials; included are leather, metal, fabric and various types of wood.
One of the main characteristics of culture of African peoples is use of masks in rituals and ceremonies. These masks often represent a spirit and it is strongly believed that the spirit of the ancestors possesses the wearer. Some masks are used as Icons of power to ward off evil spirits and some are used to celebrate and thank the ancestors during crop harvesting.
 
In this painting, there is a juxtaposition of these mask drawings in a complex composition and warm color tones which depicts the warmness of the African continent. Many African societies see masks as mediators between the living world and the supernatural world of the dead, or their ancestors, hence the title of the painting is  "Mediators".