Unmasking

The work comprises three double-sided masks, the front and the back side of each mask being identical in surface design and processing. The three masks are suspended on cords from the ceiling and are arranged in a line against a dark background. They should be positioned in a way, which allows the people to see the composition from both sides. Mask A is made of cut out mirror pieces, which are silicone adhered to a fabrically produced plastic mask support, gesso paste is used to fill in the gaps along the еdges of the mirror pieces. Mask B is cut out of mirror; Mask C is cut out of plexiglass, which is hot processed to achieve the proper relief.
Masks are costume accessories, which are used in theatre performances and a great number of rituals in order to disguise the face and lend different character to those, who wear them. The here presented pieces do not correspond to the original function of masks. This is due to the reflecting materials they are made of and to the fact that their both sides are identical. The viewers in front of the masks cannot look at and perceive the changed character of the disguised ones; the only thing that they can see is their own reflection. The disguised people behind the masks, on the other hand, are practically „unmasked”, because they also see themselves in the reflecting surface. Thus, these masks play the role of barriers, which isolate the people in front from those behind, making their communication impossible.