(Re)creation

The mask is mute—it does not
tell what lies beneath–
layers falling backward, a
way from the present–
unglued, it rearranges,
becomes paper becomes
scissors cutting through the air–
thought stilled before form

Continuing my mask theme, three collage masks inspired by Matisse cut-outs that I did for the Kick About a few weeks ago. In my poem I was thinking about a film I saw of Matisse at work.

I’ve been working with masks for a long time in many different media. These are inspired by Mexican Devil masks as well as by Matisse.

Austin Kleon has a great post about masking with some excellent quotes that you can read here. It’s a mode of expression I’m sure I’ll always continue to explore.

Here’s another devil mask and a shovel poem I did for a Sue Vincent photo prompt in 2017. Thanks again, Sue, for all your inspiration.

the door is always open s

“…that what you fear the most/could meet you halfway…” –Victoria Williams, “Crazy Mary”

The horns that
make you.  Tell me what
endures:  you,
masked with fear,
burning life to ashes, the
ender?  Or the most
wild transformation that could
be?  We meet
face to face.  But you
pause.  Halfway.

Also linking up with dVerse OLN, hosted by Linda.

35 thoughts on “(Re)creation”

  4. Wonderful masks! My favourite is the third one, there’s an ambiguity in its expression that I like, and the colours are perfect. The mask is an odd, rather frightening concept for lots of reasons. Not just scissors and paper, as you say.

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    1. Thanks Jane. Masks have many purposes and meanings, not all of them benign. It’s hard to make something inspired by Matisse look truly evil though, even a devil.

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  6. Kerfe,
    I liked how you melded Matisse and the Mexican “ecpressionism” to create the masks, and your description of their creation is mesmerizing. I can see your hands assembling, rearranging, cutting, awakening them to speak despite their muteness in the questions we pose them (as in the last verse). Stunning art and poetry. You are very gifted.
    pax,
    dora

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  7. So much to think about here–the masks, the words, your art–so much history and meaning from masks in cultures around the world. You recreate in your Matisse-inspired masks, but masked individuals also create or recreate a new identity, or hide an old one. And who would think that masking would become so politically charged?

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  11. Incredible work from Mr. Creative. I loved the third mask and second poem. As an actor I worked with Commedia del Arte masks. Wearing a mask, supporting it, requires a reduction of personal ticks and mannerisms.

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    1. Thanks Petru. I’ve always been fascinated by them–I love the decorative aspects of course, but it seems to be you are right, they hold something in them that we can’t articulate as humans.

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  14. I love your mask efforts, you can really see the Matisse influence, and your colour arrangements really make them. And I adore your poem, each word gift ripe and plucked just right. There’s so much there between the lines! I love the first line right through to the end:

    “The horns that / make you.”

    “We meet / face to face . But you / pause. Halfway.”

    Well done! ❤

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