Masks

Multiple Identities from Antiquity to Contemporary Art

Serlachius Manor 11 May — 15 September 2024

MASKS. Multiple Identities from Antiquity to Contemporary Art explores the meanings of mask wearing as part of human history. Since prehistoric times, humans have felt the need to hide their identity temporarily, or to change it completely. 

The cultural-historical meanings of masquerade have varied over time in different parts of the world, but it is still popular today, as one’s own identity is constantly being shaped on digital platforms, for example. The corona virus pandemic, on the other hand, reminded people that masks are also used for protection.

MASKS examines the subject of masks from antiquity through 20th century avant-garde to contemporary art. The exhibition has borrowed works not only from art museums but also from cultural history collections, and it is curated by the Italian art historian Lorella Scacco.

The artists participating at the MASKS exhibition

Elina Brotherus, Claude Cahun, Birger Carlstedt, Delphine Diallo, Albert Edelfelt, Saara Ekström, Daniel Frasnay, Paul Gauguin, Akseli Gallen-Kallela, Giovanni Gastel, George Hoyningen-Huene, Laika, Wifredo Lam, Marita Liulia, Sami Lukkarinen, Luigi Ontani, Pablo Picasso, Pierre-Louis Pierson, Tuulikki Pietilä, Man Ray, Gino Severini, Cindy Sherman, Ellen Thesleff, Patrick Tosani, Filippos Tsitsopoulos, Phil van Duynen, Gillian Wearing, Ai Weiwei and Agata Wieczorek.

Lorella Scacco tells about the exhibition

Watch the video in which Lorella Scacco, the curator of the Masks exhibition, talks about the exhibition.

Publication

Publication of the same name related to Masks exhibition.

Performance

Filippos Tsitsopoulos’s performance Against Happycracy will be shown at Serlachius on July 13 at 3 pm.

Video story

See a short introduction to the exhibition using the QR code or the image link.

Artwork image: Man Ray (Emmanuel Radnitzky), Noire et blanche, 1926 (1980), photograph, new print. Private Collection Gio´ Marconi, Milan.