Dogon Mask West Africa – ART Masks

In the West African country of Mali, masks and puppets play an important role in traditional culture.

The masks are also worn to protect hunters against the revenge of the animal he has killed.

“Elephant-mask’ with its big round ears and long nose decorated with  beads, is from West Cameroon, to whom it is unique.

Pixelhead Limited Edition Mask – Martin Backes – art masks

Pixelhead  Limited Edition Art Mask by Martin Backes

Martin Backes’s work seems to have taken on a life of its own, based on the internet coverage. He only posted it on the web this month. Its very popular. There’s something compelling about a human becoming pixelated in the analog world.  Usually its the other way around. I also like there is no hole for the nose. It has a knightish  medieval feel it. If you like his work make sure you check out his Facebook Page.  He’s a sound artist as well as a visual artist. You can buy this thoughtful work of art directly from Martin Backes website.

“The full face mask Pixelhead acts as media camouflage, completely shielding the head to ensure that your face is not recognizable on photographs taken in public places without securing permission. A simple piece of fabric creates a little piece of anonymity for the Internet age. The material used is elastic fabric for beach fashion and sports gear with a fashionable pixel-style print of German Secretary of the Interior Hans-Peter Friedrich. The mask has holes for your eyes and mouth, so you can see and breathe comfortably while wearing the mask, secure in the knowledge that your image won’t be showing up anywhere you don’t want it to.”

More Markin Backes on the Web

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 ARTCONNECT BERLIN’s 1st Anniversary

Martin’s description about his Pixelhead from his website:

The limited edition is slightly different from the original you might have seen on my website. The material used is elastic fabric for beach fashion and sports gear with a Pixel-style print of the German Secretary of the Interior Hans-Peter Friedrich. The mask has holes for your eyes and mouth, so you can see and breathe comfortably while wearing. But please take a look for yourself (see photos). Each Pixelhead is signed (stamp) and numbered, and comes with an Invoice and Certificate of Authenticity.

Pixelhead limited edition
2012
Size: Unisize (34 x 26 cm)
Material: elastic fabric, digital fabric printing color

Photo of Art Mask Photoshopped

Photo Paper Art Mask

I made a bunch of these art masks. I use them in videos they have a real animated quality to them on film. I like to pass the photos and film through photoshop to give it an extra hyperreality. I’m mad angry sad happy etc. I’ve made art masks for many years. A few years back I had a purging. I guess I restocking the inventory.

> Hit the Like button to the right next to the ape face where it says  SezVez on Facebook

SezVez aug 2012

A Month of Masks -Art Masks

A month of MASKS

They are all things to all people. Are you wearing yours today?

Wikipedia says a mask is an object worn on the face.

That’s pretty observant. It seems people have been making masks all over the world all through time. Why? Why do we feel a need to cover our face, conceal ourselves. Is it deviousness anonymity a communal experience with the spirits Gods which we all seek and a mask is the portal? There are a plethora of uses for these things.

From Wikipedia:

They say the word “mask” appeared in the English language in the 1530’s, from Middle Frenchmasque “covering to hide or guard the face”, derived in turn from Italianmaschera, from Medieval Latinmasca “mask, specter, nightmare” This word is of uncertain origin, perhaps from Arabicmaskharahمَسْخَرَۃٌ “buffoon”, from the verb sakhira “to ridicule”. However, it may also come from Provençalmascarar “to black (the face)” (or the related Catalanmascarar, Old Frenchmascurer). This in turn is of uncertain origin — perhaps from a Germanic source akin to English “mesh”, but perhaps from mask- “black”, a borrowing from a pre-Indo-European language.[3] One German author claims the word “mask” is originally derived from the Spanish más que la cara (literally, “more than the face” or “added face”), which evolved to “máscara”, while the Arabic “maskharat” – referring to the buffoonery which is possible only by disguising the face – would be based on these Spanish roots.[4] Other related forms are Hebrewmasecha= “mask”; Arabic maskharaمَسْخَرَ = “he ridiculed, he mocked”, masakhaمَسَخَ = “he transfomed” (transitive).

There is much more to the subject of masks, its dense. I’m sure we can only scratch the thin epidermal of its essence. Please emote in the comment section no need to register your e-mail unless you want. What do you have to say about the Mask? Do you have an art masks? Comment below…

Rugs turned to Art Masks

About

photography: Cornelie de Jong

Bertjan Pot  Rugs Turned to Masks

May 26 | 1975 | Nieuwleusen | The Netherlands

Bertjan designs products, often Interior products. The way interior products relate to their users appeals to Bertjan. Interior products are not distant and hardcore industrial like power tools, cars and buildings. And they are not just personal hip fashion. Furniture and lighting design really fits the method of Bertjan’s work. Starting small, playing with and focusing on a material or a technique. Bertjan searches for a system, the DNA, which will use as building stones for something bigger. Optimal use of a material and technique make a valuable product, each ingredient humbly present complementing the others. Bertjan makes products which are more than the function they have to fulfill. Bertjan’s method is both technical and intuitive. Intuition is hard to explain. For every decision we make there are several reasons. Some mentioned, but the best are silently accepted. Her technical interest and creative fantasies are a way to push the boundaries of Industrial production. Intelligence mixed with a little ignorance might realize our dreams.

Studio Bertjan Pot

Bertjan Pot, Vladi Rapaport and Marjolein Fase

Proud to be in the collection of:Victoria & Albert Museum, London – Shrunken bench and Random Light
Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen, Rotterdam – Random Chair (prototype), Carbon Copy, Excavated Vase, Old Fruit Versatile.
Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam – Random Chair, Carbon Copy, Carbon Chair
FNAC (Fonds National d’Art Contemporain/National Fund for Contemporary Art) – Old Fruit, Versatile
MoMa New York – Carbon Chair (created in cooperation with Marcel Wanders)
source  http://www.bertjanpot.nl/