Project Description
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Chris Scarborough, drawing of a mask
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“Show me your trash, and I will tell you who you are.”
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Your challenge is to create a mask that describes an aspect of your personality that we as a class would normally not know. Like trash, which we cover in land fills, think of a characteristic/trait that is normally covered or hidden. The mask you create should reveal something new about you.
You may only use materials intended for your trash can, or recycling bin. In other words, save the things you would normally discard... these will become your materials.
- The mask must obscure most, if not all of your face.
- NO ZORO or ANONYMOUS MASKS!
- Make sure that you can see out of the mask, allow for sufficient breathing
- Your mask/sculpture should be 75% made of trash.
- Some element of the mask should extend at least 12 inches from your head.
- Think sculpture think volume.
• Remember be prepared, you will be wearing your mask during critique, so make sure it stays on your head/face. without your hands holing it.
You will be graded on your effort as well as your creativity, thoughtfulness, technique, and skill in making the mask.
Project due April 24th at beginning of class. We will shoot photos during critique. There are no in-class work days, you will complete this project at home.
Begin by sourcing materials that you would normally throw away. Be sure to clean them. As you take an inventory of your garbage/recycling, think about how the materials can communicate just by themselves.
The primary materials you will use, are discarded items from your home, things like: milk cartons, packaging, containers, broken household items, old clothes, etc. Use the stuff you normally throw away.
Please clean and prepare your materials so they are not harmful to you, or cause a potential pest problem. Remember you will be wearing this sculpture on your head during critique.
Do not use any materials that will rot, ie. vegetables, or animal by-products. If you do choose to use food-stuff, make sure it is stable, and will not attract pests. An example of something that could be used if clean and stable would be well-washed egg shells.
2. Make Sketches and play
Start making sketches, and trying out different building techniques. Experiment with different ways to create form and volume.
3. Choose an idea to communicate
When you are thinking of ways to communicate your idea, try to find ways that will manifest your concept without illustrating it; don't be too literal.
Try to stay away from easy recognizable pop culture memes, and do your best to make your “mask” not look like anything you've seen before. It will be helpful to think of this more as a wearable sculpture for your head. This is not a halloween mask.
Approach the project in a way that makes sense to you, and use building-techniques you've learned from previous projects. Do your best to create volume with the materials you have selected.
All the same design concepts apply to these materials as they would with things you buy in an art store.
Use form, line, color, and context to communicate. The materials you use, and the way you put them together should be enough to communicate your concept. They should show us something new about who you are.
Finally, make it comfortable, and make sure it fits... you will wear the mask during critique.
A mask is an object normally worn on the face, typically for protection, disguise, performance or entertainment. Masks have been used since antiquity for both ceremonial and practical purposes. They are usually worn on the face, although they may also be positioned for effect elsewhere on the wearer's body, so in parts of Australia giant totem masks cover the body, whilst Inuit women use finger masks during storytelling and dancing.[1]
Further Research
Please research masks from other cultures and time periods: Asian, African, American, Latin American, European, Pacific Islander, Australian Aboriginal, etc, etc.
What did they look like? What materials and building techniques did they use? Why did they make them? How were they used?
Here are a few links to some contemporary artists using trash, or masks, in their work. Please feel free to share any other information or videos with all of us. Use the comment section of the blog.
Living Artists of Japan: The Face Behind the Mask - Noh Mask Maker
Cindy Sherman: Mannequins & Masks | Art21 "Exclusive"
Masks | "Exclusive" | Art21
Paul McCarthy: "Piccadilly Circus" | Art21 "Exclusive"
Mary Mattingly Owns Up | "New York Close Up" | Art21
Here are some student examples from the class of 2017
Here are a few examples of some Masks from previous years. Note our project is somewhat different (they did not use trash) so only use the images to get your creative juices flowing.
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