Masking Faces — new exhibition examines the historical and modern-day uses of the face covering
Since the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic, the world’s population has responded by wearing face masks in an attempt to minimise the transmission of the virus. For the vast majority of people, the mask has become a staple of their everyday life.
A new digital exhibition — Masking Faces: The Many Meanings of Face Coverings — explores a variety of uses of the face covering throughout history to the present day. Curated by MA students from the School of Fine Art, History of Art & Cultural Studies, the exhibition is available to view online until March 2021.
Drawing from the collections of the Yale Center for British Art and the Smithsonian, the exhibition features artworks, photographs and historical documents depicting face coverings, categorised into four themes of wear: Theatre and Spectacle, Masquerades and Balls, The Grotesque and Religion. The works on display span centuries – from paintings of the 1700s, to contemporary photographs taken in recent years.
Sophie Green, a student from the MA Art Gallery & Museum Studies course, reflected on her experience with using digital archives for this exhibition:
“Due to the pandemic restrictions in place at the moment, we have had to adapt and consult public archives online to carry out our work for this exhibition.
“I’ve found the experience to be invaluable and have enjoyed diving deep into the digital collections of the Yale Center for British Art. We’ve been fortunate that their digital archive has a wealth of resources, and the artworks we have chosen to include in our exhibition really showcase face coverings in their various forms throughout history.
“Although the exhibition will not take place in a physical environment, I have enjoyed the challenge of curating a digital space using a platform that I was unfamiliar with before starting the project. I have a whole new appreciation for digital technology, thanks to the innovative ways exhibitions can be presented online.”
MA Arts Management & Heritage Studies student, Elena Gibson, said:
“I have very much enjoyed taking part in this collaborative project. The histories of the mask and face coverings are so rich and varied, transcending through time as a common denominator between cultures.
“Today especially — with the Covid-19 pandemic crisis — masks and coverings feel more relevant than ever, worldwide. The obligatory face covering has also become a challenging subject as (contrary to World Health Organisation advice) there are those who emphatically refuse to wear one.”
Whilst viewing the exhibition, the students ask visitors to consider their own experiences of wearing masks during this time of the Covid-19 pandemic. Perhaps their response to wearing a mask been shaped by their historical understanding of its uses, or have other factors come into play?
Masking Faces: The Many Meanings of Face Coverings runs from 7 December to 1 March 2021 and is available here via the Omeka platform.
Image
Children Playing with a Mask, Yale Center for British Art.