Máscaras

Bubo Caligo

Half owl, half butterfly, half plant—Bubo Caligo is a chimera, a mystical entity that emerged from years of teaching, close observation of the natural world, and a genuine fascination with its more obscure corners. Inspired by the work of Remedios Varo and the logic of natural mimicry, this piece is a hybrid creature: an owl wearing a butterfly mask. The form reflects the way certain butterfly species bear owl-eye patterns on their wings—here, the relationship is inverted, so that the owl becomes the one wearing the mask. The eyes are simultaneously insect eyes and the center of a flower, from which petals radiate outward, mimicking the owl markings on butterfly wings. A skull sits at the center of the forehead—a quiet reminder not to meddle with forces you cannot contain. The mask houses two distinct acoustic systems: a globular flute capable of melodic playing in the mid-range, able to reproduce the call of an owl; and three primitive whistles concealed within the flower that opens at the third eye, producing a high, eagle-like scream—a trisonic chord that evokes the world of plants, insects, and creatures that move at night.

Year

2026

Type

Sonic mask

Materials

Saggar clay, metallic glazes

Technique

Slab and pinching; advanced bevel-and-window system

Firing

Electric kiln, 1250 °C

Dimensions

30 × 33.5 × 15 cm

Location

China