The Masks We Wear

We wear the mask that grins and lies,It hides our cheeks and shades our eyes,--This debt we pay to human guile;With torn and bleeding hearts we smile,And mouth with myriad subtleties.

The above is the first stanza of a poem titled We Wear the Masks by the African American poet Paul Laurence Dunbar. The poem is a reminder that there are many people who wear masks which in turns allows for them to be defined socially, emotionally, as well as culturally. Perhaps it was the poem that may have inspired the artist who created the African mask on display in the Ackland Museum. Although masks may have been intended to exaggerate costumes, or animate characters, and even for religious purposes, one way or another they have come to serve an alternate purpose. Today, the ultimate purpose masks have come to serve is providing false identities and characterizations.

Upon first glance at the mask displayed in the museum, it is easily seen that it is rather grotesque and the facial features are extremely distorted. However such features may be due to the mask representing African art. The mouth, nose, and eyes are the most prominent as well as the most disfigured facial features. The mask is adorned with real human hair that includes strands of gray. Attached are tacks that serve as eyebrows and accents for the forehead. The bottom of the mask has several bells attached to it perhaps representing a beard of some sort.

The artist behind the mask obviously had quite a few interrelated messages for the audience, as most works of art do. The mask is not only a representation of African culture but also of how people of African descent have been historically portrayed. For thousands of years it has been thought of as unattractive to have big lips and noses. Slit like eyes were perhaps uncommon but yet another feature that was not widely accepted by most cultures. In fact it is because of society’s disapproval of such features that rhinoplasty, lip and eye surgeries have become wildly popular throughout the world. Needless to mention that pop icon Michael Jackson was so incredibly obsessed with his image that he had endured several rhinoplasties to the extent that his nose is almost unrecognizable. How attractive is that?

The mask is elegantly yet subtly portraying beauty within a particular culture. The leathery material of which the mask was created represents old age as well as the strands of gray in the real human hair used. The bells which seem to be reminiscent of a beard are so elaborately placed, as well as the tusk that serves as a piercing in the nose. Incorporation of such features is yet another reminder that beauty, as it is often said is held within the eye of the beholder. With that in mind, it comes as no surprise that one particular culture or society may find the mask extremely beautiful whereas another may think of it as despicable.

The tacks which adorn the mask would represent acne in our culture. Despite acne being natural and part of the maturing process, it has labeled young youth as being unattractive if they have bad acne. Therefore the artist is undoubtedly trying to intertwine yet another message into his artwork. The artist is perhaps trying to convey the message that as a world with many different cultures, the definitions of beauty as well as the barriers formed need to be broken. People should not have to conform to a society’s idea of beauty, but rather society needs to accept people as they are. The artist exemplifies such by creating an uneven skin tone as well as incorporating various dots throughout. These dots, which could potentially serve as freckles symbolizes society’s disapproval for such imperfections of the skin. For this particular reason, is perhaps why many people feel as though they must wear both physical masks such as make-up for women, and beards for men.

It has become socially acceptable for people to mask themselves, and I think that not only the creator of the mask is trying to convince its audience that thinking in such a manner is incorrect but can become in conflict with diversity, which is something that should be valued by all. There is a reason why people look different, have different skin tones, and speak different languages which goes far beyond any scientific theory perhaps. Therefore it should be unacceptable for any society to try to alter that. Unfortunately, it isn’t, which is perhaps why the artist of the mask is trying to get people to become comfortable with their self-mage and break out of the shell that society has molded for them. The artist successfully illustrates his or her idea of breaking from the mold by making the mask with a nose piercing with is often gawked at within most modern day societies as being socially undesirable.

You may or may not agree with the interpretation of this challenging artwork. One thing is clear however, which is despite being an African mask it is a tribute for all cultures across the world, and a challenge to all who wear masks. To that end, I would like to personally extend a challenge to all mask wearers, asking that they remove them and reveal their true beauty, and see others in the world as they really are, rather than viewing them through a tainted mask.