Pictured: Rainforest mask carver. Photo courtesy of Selby Gardens.

The beloved Rainforest Masks of Costa Rica exhibition returns to Selby Gardens’ Downtown Sarasota campus in January. The 18th annual exhibition and sale showcase art from the Indigenous Boruca tribe in Costa Rica, where traditional mask making is a way of life. Guests will experience (and be able to purchase) vibrant, hand-carved and painted balsa wood masks featuring the stunning flora and fauna of the tropical rainforest. This year’s Rainforest Masks exhibition also spotlights the Borucan tradition of textile making. Borucan weavers use natural resources such as leaves and plant seeds to dye their cotton material, and the display will include several dried plant specimens from the Selby Gardens Herbarium that are found in their region. Proceeds from mask sales support the Borucan village and also benefit Selby Gardens’ education, research, horticulture, and scientific work. 

Preview Event: Friday, January 7, 2022. Visitors have two options to gain early access to this breathtaking show and participate in the mask sale before the general public. Capacity is limited. Early Admission: 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. $55 for Selby Gardens members, $60 for non-members. Regular Admission: 2 – 6 p.m. $25 for Selby Gardens members, $30 for non-members. January 8-9: Opening Weekend and “Pop-Up Shop”. During the exhibition’s official opening weekend, the Museum of Botany & the Arts will offer additional handmade items, such as jewelry, for sale.

Pictured: Rainforest mask carver. Photo courtesy of Selby Gardens.

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