Masks from the collection of the PlayMakers Repertory Company
Recall that i mentioned the fact that we do not have a large mask collection at my workplace. However, we do have some cool ones worth checking out, so i present for you here a photo-essay of masks in the collection of the PlayMakers Repertory Company of North Carolina. The photos even include process shots for a complete set of goblin masks from The Snow Queen...
Green Man mask, unknown maker or origin
made from plastic, papier mache, various fibers, acrylic
unknown maker, papier mache, acrylic
triple-head mask, unknown maker
fabric mache, acrylic
unknown maker, fabric and papier mache,acrylic
unknown maker, very fragile papier mache
This mask pictured above is particularly interesting, because thanks to a typed label inside of it which has been integrated into the mache, i know rather more about it than most of the others (though still not who made it). The label reads as follows:
The Producal
Produced by
Research Institute
of
Korean Mask-Dance Play
1960
"Do not Reproduce"
No. 17
half-face mask, unknown maker
fabric mache, acrylic
These are a complete set of masks, made by Jaime Blinn and Traci Meek for the 2003-04 production of The Snow Queen. (You can see how i am putting them up on the bulletin board in my workspace for display this semester, since "Masks and Armor" is the subject, and well, armor is not really something one can easily tack to some corkboard.)
This production required 9 Goblin characters with masks of three different designs. Blinn and Meek decided to sculpt small matrices of the three designs (the "positive" sculpture used to make a mask is called a matrix). This way they could work with the sculptural shapes on a small scale to get input from the designer, before going into full-size shapes. They then made molds from the matrices and cast the group of masks in neoprene.
Maquettes, about 3-4" tall, sculpted by Jaime Blinn
photo courtesy of Jaime Blinn-Bagley, used with permission
The set of masks which were cast in full-sized molds,
before they were painted, aged, padded, and adorned with hair and bristles.
photo courtesy of Jaime Blinn-Bagley, used with permission
Goblin masks close-up
Goblin King mask
Look at the use of gloss medium to create "drool" coming out of the mouth!
Stage shot
photo courtesy of Jaime Blinn-Bagley, used with permission
Green Man mask, unknown maker or origin
made from plastic, papier mache, various fibers, acrylic
unknown maker, papier mache, acrylic
triple-head mask, unknown maker
fabric mache, acrylic
unknown maker, fabric and papier mache,acrylic
unknown maker, very fragile papier mache
This mask pictured above is particularly interesting, because thanks to a typed label inside of it which has been integrated into the mache, i know rather more about it than most of the others (though still not who made it). The label reads as follows:
The Producal
Produced by
Research Institute
of
Korean Mask-Dance Play
1960
"Do not Reproduce"
No. 17
half-face mask, unknown maker
fabric mache, acrylic
These are a complete set of masks, made by Jaime Blinn and Traci Meek for the 2003-04 production of The Snow Queen. (You can see how i am putting them up on the bulletin board in my workspace for display this semester, since "Masks and Armor" is the subject, and well, armor is not really something one can easily tack to some corkboard.)
This production required 9 Goblin characters with masks of three different designs. Blinn and Meek decided to sculpt small matrices of the three designs (the "positive" sculpture used to make a mask is called a matrix). This way they could work with the sculptural shapes on a small scale to get input from the designer, before going into full-size shapes. They then made molds from the matrices and cast the group of masks in neoprene.
Maquettes, about 3-4" tall, sculpted by Jaime Blinn
photo courtesy of Jaime Blinn-Bagley, used with permission
The set of masks which were cast in full-sized molds,
before they were painted, aged, padded, and adorned with hair and bristles.
photo courtesy of Jaime Blinn-Bagley, used with permission
Goblin masks close-up
Goblin King mask
Look at the use of gloss medium to create "drool" coming out of the mouth!
Stage shot
photo courtesy of Jaime Blinn-Bagley, used with permission