Mask c. 20th century

This "Mask" was made by an anonymous artist, and is now housed at the Minneapolis Institute of Art. The anonymous creator was working with bold choices and a unique eye. You can see that in the overall structure of the piece, but also in the choices made in its creation. I’m really drawn to the way the artist has built up the beard, line by line. It’s almost meditative, like the kind of mark-making Agnes Martin used to do. Each little line is so carefully placed, creating this sense of depth and texture. It’s amazing how something so simple can be so powerful. You can see the process of building the mask, with that attention to mark-making becoming a huge, bristling form. It makes me think of the work of someone like Paul McCarthy, using everyday processes to construct something uncanny and affecting. Art’s all about dialogue, right? It’s always a conversation.