ceremonial masks
Masks are the ultimate expression of my armor and facade series - how we protect… how we present ourselves.
For these Ceremonial mask sculptures (that hang on the wall), I turned to fiction. The iconic characters of Shakespeare summed up those of our modern world - the good, the villainous, the tragic, the bereaved, the hopeful...
My red Lady Macbeth “Upend” portrays a fearsome facade with her heavy grey-beaded eyelashes, and a crown built of text. I’ve drawn a face in angst on her forehead as if speaking to the guilt-ridden character within. I was thinking of her portrayal in Kurusawa’s film “Throne of Blood” (thus the red ) when her character obsessively/unceasingly washed her hands to rid them of the blood only she could see.
UPEND (Lady Macbeth); 31” x 20” x 5”; Silk, cotton, tulle, drawing on paper, hematite glass beads, wire;
Quilted, stitched, pieced, appliqued, embroidered, beaded, drawn, constructed; photo credits for all images at the bottom of the page
SPARROW; Silk, cotton, felt, wire, fake leaves, upholstery fabric selvage, ribbon, glass beads, paint;
Quilted, stitched, pieced, appliqued, embroidered, beaded, painted (on lips), constructed
Masks Sparrow and Knave (seen above and below) became part bird and part human-ish. Masks are “flights” from normality. Shakespearean characters, being fiction, are also removed from our normal life. Crowns became the crests of birds. I was masking fiction (masking the mask).
KNAVE, 28” x 17” x 7”; Cotton, silk, felt, and glass and costume jewelry beads; Quilted, stitched, pieced, appliqued, embroidered, beaded, constructed
THE CONSORT; 31” x 19” x 6”; Silk and various fabrics, wire (inside rim of face), paper, paint; Quilted, stitched, pieced, appliqued, embroidered, beaded, collaged, painted, constructed
KING CLAUDIUS; 14” x 9” x 6”; Silk, cotton, various fabric scraps, felt, costume jewelry, glass beads, metal, silk covered and embroidered Styrofoam balls;
Quilted, stitched, pieced, appliqued, embroidered, beaded, constructed
QUEEN GERTRUDE; 15” x 8” x 5”; Silk, linen, cotton, various fabric scraps, felt, costume jewelry, glass beads, silk wrapped wire (the looped part of the crown), stuffed and embroidered cone, fake flower; Quilted, stitched, pieced, appliqued, embroidered, beaded, constructed
HAMLET; Silk, linen, cotton, various fabric scraps, felt, costume jewelry, glass beads, cotton fabric wrapped cords (the looped part of the crown [no wire]); Quilted, stitched, pieced, appliqued, embroidered, beaded, constructed
OPHELIA; 11” x 9” x 8”; Silk, cotton, various fabric scraps, felt, paper, netting, costume jewelry, fake flowers, glass beads; Quilted, stitched, pieced, appliqued, embroidered, beaded, constructed
… all photos of finished artworks on this page by Penina M