This is the Maaaaaask!

What comes to your mine when the word ‘mask’ comes up? For me it’s something that hides your identity and makes up an entire different one for other people to see. Truthfully, I wholeheartedly agree that everyone wears a mask for different types of people. From relatives to friends to associates to just anyone, definitely we have this inner part in our self that we want to conceal and kept hidden, sometimes disguise.

When it comes to art however mask is a whole another level. It varies from different cultures. Let’s say for instance the Japanese, their idea of a mask, particularly the ‘Noh’ masks are mainly worn by men throughout a long performance. There are five categories of Noh masks: Gods, Men, Women, the Elderly and the Devil. As it is often difficult to tell the actual feelings expressed in a Noh mask, it is said to be made with a “neutral” expression.

Another mask that I find to be interesting is the Venetian Mask aka Masquerade Mask. Its long history states that its role is to protect the wearer’s social standing identity during promiscuous activities. It was made for centuries in Venice. The materials used was paper-mache and wildly decorated with fur, fabric, gems, or feathers. Additionally, the masks served an important social purpose of keeping every citizen on an equal playing field. For example if servant would have worn a mask, he or she could be mistaken for a nobleman—or vice versa.

Those are just some research I did for mask that made an impression on me but there are TONS of other mask that never fail to shock me. Here I’m gonna share a few :)

 

Minimalist Mask (Star Wars)

Minimalist Mask (Iron Man)

Quilling Inspired Mask

Origami Inspired Mask

Origami Inspired Mask

Laces are added to the Mask

Reminded me of the Phantom of the Opera

 And behold, I have made a mask of my own :)  The theme for is as you can see, fire! The right side of the mask resembles a firefox tail.