Wood carved mask, Oil, natural resins and pigments. 38 x 24 x 16 cm. (approx.) 2019
Wood carved mask, Oil, natural resins and pigments. 38 x 24 x 16 cm. (approx.) 2019
Wood carved mask, Oil, natural resins and pigments. 38 x 24 x 16 cm. (approx.) 2019
Wood carved mask, Oil, natural resins and pigments. 38 x 24 x 16 cm. (approx.) 2019
Wood carved mask, Oil, natural resins and pigments. 38 x 24 x 16 cm. (approx.) 2019
Wood carved mask, Oil, natural resins and pigments. 38 x 24 x 16 cm. (approx.) 2019
Wood carved mask, Oil, natural resins and pigments. 38 x 24 x 16 cm. (approx.) 2019
Wood carved mask, Oil, natural resins and pigments. 38 x 24 x 16 cm. (approx.) 2019
Wood carved mask, Oil, natural resins and pigments. 38 x 24 x 16 cm. (approx.) 2019
Wood carved mask, Oil, natural resins and pigments. 38 x 24 x 16 cm. (approx.) 2019
Wood carved mask, Oil, natural resins and pigments. 38 x 24 x 16 cm. (approx.) 2019
Wood carved mask, Oil, natural resins and pigments. 38 x 24 x 16 cm. (approx.) 2019
Wood carved mask, Oil, natural resins and pigments. 38 x 24 x 16 cm. (approx.) 2019
Wood carved mask, Oil, natural resins and pigments. 38 x 24 x 16 cm. (approx.) 2019
Wood carved mask, Oil, natural resins and pigments. 38 x 24 x 16 cm. (approx.) 2019
Wood carved mask, Oil, natural resins and pigments. 38 x 24 x 16 cm. (approx.) 2019
Wood carved mask, Oil, natural resins and pigments. 38 x 24 x 16 cm. (approx.) 2019
Wood carved mask, Oil, natural resins and pigments. 38 x 24 x 16 cm. (approx.) 2019
Wood carved mask, Oil, natural resins and pigments. 38 x 24 x 16 cm. (approx.) 2019
Wood carved mask, Oil, natural resins and pigments. 38 x 24 x 16 cm. (approx.) 2019
Wood carved mask, Oil, natural resins and pigments. 38 x 24 x 16 cm. (approx.) 2019
Wood carved mask, Oil, natural resins and pigments. 38 x 24 x 16 cm. (approx.) 2019
Wood carved mask, Oil, natural resins and pigments. 38 x 24 x 16 cm. (approx.) 2019
Wood carved mask, Oil, natural resins and pigments. 38 x 24 x 16 cm. (approx.) 2019
Wood carved mask, Oil, natural resins and pigments. 38 x 24 x 16 cm. (approx.) 2019
Wood carved mask, Oil, natural resins and pigments. 38 x 24 x 16 cm. (approx.) 2019
Wood carved mask, Oil, natural resins and pigments. 38 x 24 x 16 cm. (approx.) 2019
Wood carved mask, Oil, natural resins and pigments. 38 x 24 x 16 cm. (approx.) 2023
Wood carved mask, Oil, natural resins and pigments. 38 x 24 x 16 cm. (approx.) 2023
Wood carved mask, Oil, natural resins and pigments. 38 x 24 x 16 cm. (approx.) 2023
Wood carved mask, Oil, natural resins and pigments. 38 x 24 x 16 cm. (approx.) 2023
Wood carved mask, Oil, natural resins and pigments. 38 x 24 x 16 cm. (approx.) 2023
Wood carved mask, Oil, natural resins and pigments. 38 x 24 x 16 cm. (approx.) 2023
Wood carved mask, Oil, natural resins and pigments. 38 x 24 x 16 cm. (approx.) 2023
36_masques
Performing White Skin
The artistic endeavor entitled «Performing White Skin» encompasses an assemblage of thirty-five meticulously crafted polychrome masks, hewn from wood and drawing upon the multifaceted traditions of Mexican carnival pageantry. The initiative also reverently acknowledges the artistic expressions of select West African tribes and contemplates the trajectory of ritualistic artifacts within the realms of European acquisition, dissemination, and commercialization.
This corpus of work endeavors to articulate a poignant critique of prevailing postcolonial hegemony by juxtaposing divergent ideologies, ceremonial practices, and historical narratives of cultural dislocation. The project manifestly aligns itself with a tradition of satirical representation, reminiscent of the terracotta bust creations by the eminent Honoré Daumier, entitled «Célébrités du Juste Milieu» which acerbically portrayed figures from the financial, political, and aristocratic spheres during the Monarchie de Juillet of the mid-19th century.
Moreover, the project resonates with the thematic undertones and aesthetic of «Ubu Roi,» a cinematic rendition of Alfred Jarry’s work, under the directorial hand of Jean Christophe Avery in 1965. The masks serve a dual purpose, functioning concurrently as static sculptures and dynamic objects within the context of photography, graphic work such as lithography, live performances, and video installations. In doing so, they broach salient contemporary sociopolitical issues such as the valuation of artistic objects, the sociocultural positioning of migrants, and an analysis of the interactions between immigrants and host countries.
This multidisciplinary engagement tackles the distribution of power and the intersection of art and societal dynamics, fostering a dialogue that extends beyond the mere aesthetic to challenge and reflect upon the complexities of our globalized cultural landscape.
*Masks size: 14.9 x 9 x 6 in. (Approx.)