Masque, Mask, Masking
Who, or what, is behind the mask, whether it be a physical covering or a facial expression or demeanour?
How we perceive ourselves may be very different from how others see us.
For this work I formed lots of papier-mâché masks using Plaster-of-Paris moulds that I made on my own face. Each mask I made from the moulds is a slightly different version of me, something of me, yet none of them really me.
Mask
A covering, physical or intangible, hiding something from view
Mask
A covering for all or part of the face, its purpose to disguise, amuse or frighten
Mask
A facial expression concealing emotions or giving a false impression
Mask
An outward appearance belying inner feelings
Mask
A likeness of a person’s face, often moulded from the face itself, for religious, ceremonial or decorative purposes
Mask
A hollow figure of a human head, used in theatre to identify a character and to amplify the voice
Masque
Masque has its origins in a folk tradition dating back to 16th century. On special occasions, masked players would unexpectedly call on the nobility singing, dancing, and bringing gifts. Spectators were invited to join in the dancing and, at the end, the players would take off their masks to reveal their identities.
I’m working on this mask-based work in response to an invitation for artwork on the theme All the Fun of the Carnival. It will be exhibited for a short period in Shipley Library (22-27 July 2024), after which I would like to bring some of these masks to life through performance work. I’m open to ideas and collaborations!
More images in the Gallery under Masque, Mask, Masking.