I've personally always been fascinated by masks: when I was a child, Carnival was for me one of the highlights of the year as masks allowed me to become somebody else or to hide from others.
Multiple fashion and art projects look at masks as the starting point to explore identity, while guaranteeing anonymity. But, for over a year now, the face mask has turned from a transformative item into a basic yet effective tool to protect ourselves and others from Coronavirus.
Have your perceptions of masks changed since the beginning of the pandemic? How long have you been wearing yours and what kind of masks have you opted for? Have you been expressing any slogans with your masks?
If you want to share your thoughts around these themes and learn more about masks, you can take part in the online event "The Art of Masks" on today (or tomorrow, depending from where you are; 18th May 9.00pm UTC, 11.00pm Rome; 5.00pm EDT; 19 May 7.00am Melbourne; duration: one hour).
The eighth "Reinventing the Wheel" talk and a sort of expanded version of the "Art of Mask" series organised by curator Caroline Kipp that appears in the current issue of The Journal of Modern Craft (14.1, April 2021), the event will touch upon crafts, fashion and science, looking at protection and adornment as well.
I'm honoured to be part of the panel of speakers that includes curator, artist and writer at The George Washington University Museum and The Textile Museum, Washington, D.C. Caroline Kipp, writer and historian of dress and textiles Dr. Alison Matthews David, artist Kate Kretz, Director of the Canadian Crafts Federation Maegen Black, curators of the online exhibition "Undercover. From Necessity to Debris: The Pollution of Face Coverings During COVID-19" Professor Andrew Groves and Dr. Danielle Specher and Johannesburg-based educator, artist and researcher Farieda Nazier. Kevin Murray editor of Garland Magazine will act as moderator.
This is the inaugural collaborative event between The Journal of Modern Craft and Garland Magazine / Reinventing the Wheel, that will run three times a year, coinciding with the publication of each issue of The Journal of Modern Craft. To take part in the event you must register here. See you later/tomorrow!
Image credits for this post
Lisa Shepherd, How Much?, Brain-tanned buckskin, glass beads, tin jingles, cotton fabric, 25cm x 21cm x 6cm
Nathalie Bertin, Pandemic Vogue, Hematite, glass beads, velveteen, ribbon, cotton fabric, 12" x 8.25" x 2.5"
Towanna Miller-Johnson, Corona Covid, Pleather, felt, sunglass lenses, velveteen, beads, hat, buckles, jingle cone, 15" x 6" x 7" Hat: 13" x 6"
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