Associate Director and Curator of the Emerson Gallery Susanna White gave a gallery talk on Thursday, Feb. 12, as part of an ongoing series discussing the three current exhibitions on view there.
White gave an overview of the trio of shows that explore the complex tradition of masks and masquerading in West Africa. Rich and various in symbolic meaning, masks and masquerading have played an infinite number of religious and social roles.
White focused her discussion on the West African Masquerade: Photographs by Phyllis Galembo, describing how the artist was able to pose these masqueraders and explaining that hierarchies of seriousness, power and mystery exist. But while the functions of masks, costume and performance in this region appear infinite, she gave examples of common themes of duality, color symbolism and transformation of identity. This fascinating field of study has been part of western scholarship and the art market since colonial times.
Programming continues with gallery talks on Feb. 19 by Visiting Associate Professor of Religious Studies S. Brent Rodriguez Plate and on Feb. 26 with Ilana Carlin '09.
-- by Pauline Caputi
White gave an overview of the trio of shows that explore the complex tradition of masks and masquerading in West Africa. Rich and various in symbolic meaning, masks and masquerading have played an infinite number of religious and social roles.
White focused her discussion on the West African Masquerade: Photographs by Phyllis Galembo, describing how the artist was able to pose these masqueraders and explaining that hierarchies of seriousness, power and mystery exist. But while the functions of masks, costume and performance in this region appear infinite, she gave examples of common themes of duality, color symbolism and transformation of identity. This fascinating field of study has been part of western scholarship and the art market since colonial times.
Programming continues with gallery talks on Feb. 19 by Visiting Associate Professor of Religious Studies S. Brent Rodriguez Plate and on Feb. 26 with Ilana Carlin '09.
-- by Pauline Caputi
