The Women In Masks

Artist Statement

Madison M.

There is something about a mask that I find to be very mysterious, and a little unsettling. It is not the mask itself one fears, but what may lurk behind. When I had the inspiration for this drawing, it was not long before Los Angeles went into lockdown due to Covid-19. Feelings of uneasiness, dread, and fear were lingering at the edge of my mind as well as the uncertainty of masks and that is how this drawing came about. As I am very interested in historical costume design, the theme I have been following this year is grounding the fantastical within the historical.  What came to me first was the idea of the masks and two women in Victorian dresses. I was more inclined to depict a historical mask rather than the surgical masks that were on my mind. I remembered that when researching Amadeus, I’d come across a type of historical mask women wore in the 18th century.  Women at that time wore porcelain masks of a generic woman’s face. They were worn to protect their identity in political meetings or on the street as a way to avoid getting swept up in a scandal. I drew on my feelings of looming dread and on the themes of anonymity, fear, and mystery that often come with masks. From that an image formed of a large, looming, glowing, otherworldly door. It was set down a Victorian red brick alleyway and two women in masks who beckoned you to join them. I was also greatly influenced by the strange atmosphere of Adonna Khare’s work and how her drawings were realistic, almost normal, yet had strange elements that drew the viewer in. I also took some inspiration from my previous charcoal drawing of the looming shadow. I liked the idea of something large and looming and so I continued on this theme in the door. 

I used white Bristol board and colored pencils for their smoothness and turpentine to even out the iridescent fabric. Keeping in mind my essential question; “how do I draw my fabric and costumes to express the essence and tell the story of my character,” I chose to make the fabric taffeta. It was a very popular fabric during Victorian times and the fabric in my opinion is also quite deep and mysterious in the right shades. The drawing is a medium-large format. I used perspective and space carefully. The image is intentionally depicted at an upwards angle, appearing as though the viewer has fallen backward and is cowering on the ground. I used this angle to convey uneasiness. I used contrasting lighting to emphasize the stark white masks, while also adding drama and eeriness. The contrasting red lips on the white mask add a creepy but seductive vibe. Now I’ve explained almost everything, I hope you are left wondering a few things: Where does the door lead to and what is beyond it? Why do the women wear masks and what are under those masks? Maybe these questions are a little unsettling? Those that may feel unsettled are the people that don’t fear the dark itself but fear what they can not see within it. It is a natural and primal instinct to fear the unknown. Which is why a person does not fear the door or the mask itself but rather they should be afraid of what lies beyond.