Class Mask Projects
These are masks made by the students in IDST 2310, section 3 Spring 1999 as part of our unit on Art and the State. Students had just finished their unit on the art of Benin when they were assigned to make the masks. Thanks to Dr Roxanne Farrar for her help.
Kari has used four bars over the eyes for the sign of the female, borrowed from the bronze heads of Benin.
Lewissa has used symbols for things she likes, such as cats, a red apple because she is an education major, thunderbolts because she likes to nap during storms, a cross, and a basketball for her love of the Duke B-ball team.
Chris used a crayon so that his piece would be simple and uncomplicated.
Armando wanted to portray his father, but was not sure his father would like the portrayal. He added things he likes such as mints.
Roger used magazines to create this effect, and avoided making eyes and a mouth. He included images of the things that he likes, such as music and Christian symbols.
Hunter used symbols for travel and movies on t.v.
Tonya tried to use contrasting color, and she likes dark colors.
Amber tried to create a dreamy mood, and an image of a starry night, a happy side and a contrasting side, and a harlequin mask.
Brandi created the illusion of a clown, who is happy. However, the eyes are closed over, disguising the pain that the clown feels inside.
Abbey used the spiral design of the ancient mother goddesses
Jameca used red to convey her energetic nature, hearts for love and devotion, yellow for a peaceful nature which sometimes lacks courage, stars on the ears for a superior nature, hair for a serious nature.
Amy started to use the mask to symbolize the contrast between good and evil, but as she was making it, the mask changed. She wanted more color.
The eyes are sad, and one has a tear coming out.
The mask is colorful because she is colorful.
Blue is her favorite color, the sun is for energy, flowers are pretty, thunderbolts are for sadness, and the butterfly is for a peaceful experience.
Her maks symbolizes the sumer night sky, the colors of the sunrise and sunset in Florida.
Floyd used colors he liked.
She used sandpaint, and was thinking of her twin sister when she made the mask.
Julie wanted to symbolize nature
Carla is a pre-med major, and used images from the medical profession.
Scott has a strong belief in the Christian Trinity.
Tracee used images of female fertility, and also tried to create a party mask.
Danielle used yellow to convey her happy nature, red for her fiery temper, the eyes to symbolize that she s blind to the faults of others, green to symbolize her down-to-earth nature, the two colors around the mask to symbolize her two intertwined natures, and the star to convey her father's nickname for her.
The gold is to remind viewers of King Tut's mask, and she designed it like an African mask, with three bars over the eyes for a male. (Borrowed from Benin)
Ivey used magazines, and covered the mask with words that you are bombarded with everyday. There is also a tear coming out of the eye to symbolize sadness, and that there is still some feeling present even though one becomes numb after being bombarded.
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