This work by Willie Cole was created by scorching the surface of plywood with hot irons. The central iron scorch contains two holes, evoking the masked face of a female dancer. The rest of the scorches form the concentric rings of the dancer’s skirt. In his practice, Cold often uses Western consumer objects to convey motifs of African art. Cole has been using irons in his work for more than 20 years, since the day that he found an old iron on the street and had the thought that it reminded him of a mask. Recalling that discovery, Cole says, “Once I realized it looked like an African mask I became aware that African art has a kind of hidden power. The evidence of that power is manifested through ritual, dance, and possession. In my art, the manifestation of the power of the iron is in the scorch.” In 2014, this work was featured on the cover of the book “Changing the Subject: Writing Women across the African Diaspora,” by K. Merinda Simmons, a Professor at the University of Alabama.