___________
Willie Cole Mask 2010
Bicycle parts, cassettes
___________
Universal Studios CHUCKY, 1998
I’m not sure how to measure this but it is large.
___________
Unknown Ijo Stingray Crest Mask, 1972
wood, cane, pigment
___________
Daniel Pešta Puzzles, 2011
Latex rubber, wood
___________
Don Proch Delta night mask, 1984
silver point, graphite, acrylic lacquer, fiberglass, steel, fibre optics
___________
Marine Cpl. Chris McNair (Ret.) Mask, 2011-12
Brain injuries caused by blast events change soldiers in ways many can’t articulate. Some use art therapy, creating painted masks to express how they feel.
___________
Paul McCarthy Masks, 1994
color coupler prints
Monkey Inside Out
Monkey
Olive Oil
Popeye
Mascara de Arafat
Rocky
____________
Ieva Kraule Sophie, 2017
3-D print, paint, steel, custom software, voice recording
____________
CLasslessflask Stone Mask, 2020
EPIC MASK!! XD looks like someone named Kyle made it.
____________
Kwon Jin-kyu Mask, 1971
Kwon Jin-kyu (1922-1973) had held only three solo exhibitions by the time he took his own life at his studio at age 50.
____________
Miguel Ángel Vigo LAR . Blanco., 2018
Polychrome Resin
____________
Irina Nakhova Giant Gas Mask, 2015
____________
John Stezaker Old Masks, 2006
Collage
____________
Jevgenia Kilupe Latvian Halloween Mask, 2014
hand-molded and hand-painted papier-mâché
____________
Richard Hawkins Trixter, 1991
rubber mask, magazine clippings, paper clips, staples, nails
____________
Gillian Wearing Me as Mapplethorpe, 2009
bromide print, based upon the Robert Mapplethorpe work: Self Portrait, 1988
___________
Javier Murcia Eidos Culture 3, 2019
19th century Chantilly Bobbin lace, electric light paint, fibreglass canvas & automotive paint
___________
Beau Dick Masks, 2009 – 2013
cedar, horse hair, and paint
___________
Simon Starling Kichiji – A Gold Merchant/James Bond from Project for a Masquerade (Hiroshima), 2010-2011
___________
Leonardo Kaplan Artificial Recognition, 2019
___________
Cameron Jamie Smiling Disease, 2008
wood, fur, paint
___________
Daisy Youngblood Black Horse (Biting Horse) Mask, 1979
fired clay and rib bones
___________
Thomas Houseago Skull Mask II, 2014
Bronze
___________
Miyako Tengyu Evil Eye Talisman/Witch’s Masks, 2019
Sewing, applique, acrylic paint on cotton mirror, sheep fur
___________
Harold Mendez Mask, 2019
Archival pigment print, oil stick, graphite, mica, collage on paper
___________
Unknown Winston Churchill, 1970
papier Mache, paint and light plaster glaze
___________
Pat Geirhart Atomic Vomit, 2016
Velcro
___________
Catherine Opie Bo from Being and Having, 1991
This mask shape fits a wide range of kids faces comfortably.
___________
Romuald Hazoumè Masks, 2005 – 2013
Hazoumè creates masks made from discarded gasoline canisters.
___________
Peter Liversidge Mask (4), 2017
Found cardboard, acrylic paint and imitation gold leaf
____________
Daniel Sannwald Aggressive Vs. Gentle Expression + Embracing Your Inner Child, 2011
____________
Rebecca Horn Pencil Mask, 1972
Shows the artist wearing a mask made out of green strips of fabric arranged in a grid, with a pencil mounted like a spike at each point where the strips cross.
____________
POPE.L Cusp, 2010
Performance, lumber, soil, sandbags, pajamas, masks, coat rack
_____________
Cesar Mad Magazine’s Alfred E. Neuman Rubber Mask, 1969
latex, dye
_____________
Samer Khatib Cursed Mask 000 – “Eternal Smile”, 2022
Do not wear mask. Do not hang mask on wall or use as decoration. Do not place mask in front of mirror or reflective surfaces. Leave mask facing downwards & cover up with cloth.
____________
David Henry Nobody Jr. Plastic Surgery Disaster Mask, 2015
*
p.s. Hey. ** Kettering, Hi, Kettering. Wow, thank you so much. That’s amazing to hear. I mean I have dreams that the blog could create something like you’re describing, and that means a lot. Really, thank you greatly for telling me that. No pressure, obviously, but if you ever feel like commenting or being here, it would be a real pleasure for me to get to know your work and you. I wish you the best day imaginable. ** CAUTIVOS, I like Enrique Vila-Matas’s work, yes. I should spotlight another of his books, in fact. My friend the artist Dominique Gonzales-Torres has collaborated with him a few times. I do in fact know the works of the writers you mention, at least to some degree, and admire them. It took me a while to get into the work of Bolaño because there was a massive hype around him for a while, and that put me off,, but, yeah, he’s quite extraordinary. Thanks, man. ** Dominik, Hi!!! Oh, you know, of course, my total pleasure about the lists. I’m gradually looking into all the suggestions you and others had. It was notably less cold here, yes. i even walked down the street to Concorde last night and stood around for a few hours watching what seemed like a million people wave passionately at Les Bleus on a distant balcony without suffering. Ha ha, I’m trying to imagine the world your love invented, and I like it! It’s very happily confusing! And it kind of relates to the post today weirdly, no? Love making exactly what everyone wants to look like as sexy as fuck, ha ha, G. ** David Ehrenstein, Hi. I’ve read quite a bit about Sharits and met people who knew him, and everything I know tells me that what you’re saying about his ‘harem of prostitutes’ and him beating them ‘mercilessly’, etc. is a vast exaggeration of his late life problems. ** Jack Skelley, My party doesn’t have an end date, so lateness is not even possible. I will naturally go find ‘DONT PISS ME OFF!!!!!!!!’ because I’m not crazy. Psycho map, bring it on. Love, the Alfred E. Neuman mask. ** Tosh Berman, Hugs and great commiseration on the task regarding your uncle. We put all my mother’s stuff in a storage unit, and I don’t think anyone has even thought about opening it ever since, which is very melancholy. You’re right about Denver, how curious indeed. Maybe I’ll go try to find an answer somewhere. ** _Black_Acrylic, Happy it intrigued you, B. How’s your pad treating you? Is your new desk your throne yet? ** Misanthrope, 5 a.m., you wild, wild nutball! I hope the feedback made your rewriting fingers itchy. Well, assuming James made sense. ** Sypha, One of the reasons I watch blockbusters on the plane is because their excessive length only helps kill the otherwise tedious flight time. But yes, it was loonnng. One of the many reasons I have zero intention of finding out what ‘Avatar 2’ wound up being. Well, until I’m on a plane again. ** Bill, Our cold got up to almost but not quite California level cold yesterday, and it felt almost toasty. Next year is looking pretty fruitful, yeah. Bring it on. ** Steve Erickson, Hi. From what I know, he was something of a pimp in his late dark days briefly, but not to the degree that someone else here was claiming. Well, sure, my lists are like that too. Possibly a bit unfortunate how the internet carves them in stone. I want to see the restored ‘Conformist’. I share your great love for it. Oh, shit, I hope it’s not arthritis. My knees have gotten kind of cranky, especially in the winter, but, in my case, I think it’s just one of those anti-lovely aging-related gifts. ** l@rst, Hi, buddy! Nice list, thanks. I need to read the McCarthys. And I think I definitely need to read whatever ‘ I Am Trying To Fall In Love With Myself But Instead I Keep Falling In Love With Unemployed Noise Musicians Who Do Coke and Believe In the Power of Crystals’ is. Wow, title! Your friend’s show looks good at a peep. Ace about your new flipbook! And big congrats on the remote publishing of your epic. That’s great, man! Obviously, keep us/me informed. I like the sound of your December, dude. ** jade or e, Hi! Giving what you wrote a response that it deserves is going total me some time, but, generally, I think it’s very incisive and lustrously thought/written and really quite brilliant. It was dazzling to read it. And I think I can take ownership of everything you propose is in and behind the book. I love what you wrote about Ken. The scene where Ziggy interviews Robin is my favorite part of the novel. And what you wrote about Ziggy’s rock critic ‘dad’ is great too. And, really, just all of it. I can’t thank you enough. Take all the time to get into the swing. Maybe you can tell me about the things you do and make and etc, if you want to. I’m very interested. Anyway, great! I don’t think I was thinking in particular about Sharits when I started the gif fictions. But then again, if he was percolating somewhere in my brain, it wouldn’t shock me. I was kind of thinking about the experimental filmmaker Martin Arnold a bit, if you know his stuff. I’m so happy you came back. Have a terrific Tuesday. ** malcolm, Hi, Malcom! So sorry about the blog’s persnicketyness. My pleasure, natch, re: including ‘Knife Play’. Yes, we’ve collectively chosen the ‘Oriental’ fan buche, which we will be eating on Thursday! Dinner at grandma’s house counts. Grandma’s House. Yes, I hope the blog has now gotten over its weirdness, and I will see you tomorrow with bells on. ** Mark Gluth, Hi, Meg. I’m obviously very happy that you’re getting all the support and respect you need. You know, I think I only know Claire Rousay by name. But I will get her work in my brain maybe today, thank you. We’ll likely be in LA from late February through mid-April. We start shooting in mid-March out in the desert, so probably before then would be easier because of the far awayness and also ‘cos Zac and I tend to be pretty crazed and preoccupied during the shoot itself. But you could come be an extra in the haunted scene if you want and if the timing’s right. Thanks for the link. Wow, I didn’t know that was there. Everyone, The superb writer Meg Gluth and the superb artist of many stripes Steven Purtill have a sound/voice collab work up on bandcamp from about 4 years ago that I’m sure is amazing. Join me in imbibing it here. Thanks a lot, pal! ** Jeff J, Yes, whoever is overseeing Sharits’ stuff seems to be being wonderfully non-stingy. No, the Goldin doc isn’t here yet. I’m watching for it. Very, very interested to see it. I’ll write you back today. Yes, how very sad and shocking about Terry Hall. The Specials were unbelievable, and I really love the second Fun Boy Three album, just to name a few. ** Okay. I made you a post called Mask, and, hey, guess what’s in it? Wait, you’re down here so you already know. Never mind. See you tomorrow.
Now available in North America 
*
Hi!!
Me too, about everyone else’s favorites lists.
I’m glad the temperature is a bit friendlier now and you could join in on the waving, haha. Or at least on observing it. Because I can’t really see you actually standing there waving.
True – today’s post has an unexpected connection with my love of yesterday, haha! And it’s timely otherwise too because when I woke up today, I saw that there was a pretty big blood stain on my right eye. I guess a small blood vessel had burst during the night somehow? So, I’m tempted to wear a mask. Maybe CLasslessflask’s “Stone Mask” – but only if someone named Kyle made it! (Considering that Miyako Tengyu’s “Evil Eye Talisman/Witch’s Masks” would be much harder to wear. Those are my favorites. Which one’s yours?)
Physics teacher love who looks like a praying mantis, Od.
My own fave mask artwork would be this Francis Bacon painting of the life mask of William Blake.
Things in the new flat are going pretty well. Artworks and shelving are all now fully installed, while I’m just waiting on some speaker wire for the stereo to be complete. Should all be ready in time for Xmas, I’d say. Missing my Scottish pals but hey, that’s what social media is for right?
Hi Dennis. Every day you surpass yourself. Interesting post, I have no way of expressing it better. If I remember that in one of your lists of the best books you included a book by Enrique Vila-Matas, I don’t know very well which one it was. Good good. How are Christmas presented? I hope that well with the family and some boyfriend. Paris is a very beautiful city but I don’t know if you miss California. I have to confess that I accumulate so many books that many of them I will never get to read. In addition, I have read some of them several times, even so I have a house full of books and I want more books for this Christmas. They always give me the same thing. incunabula books. The Period book that I don’t really know where to start. I have the complete novels of S. Zweig on one side of the study table but I still haven’t sunk my teeth into it. Is Zweig a best seller for you? Knut Hamsun? I don’t know if you have read Bukowski but I imagine not for quite some time. I hope my English isn’t as bad as he was before. But we understand?. I wish you the best for these holidays. My gift would be a publication of yours in Spanish, finally. hugs
Dennis. Right? You know our Sypha. :p
Nah, I was looking over them, and it’s just a list of typos (that four other people didn’t catch). Weird. Like I forgot the “r” in “white shirt.” Hahaha. Eek. I hope no one’s wearing white shit.
I’ll be going over everything this long weekend.
That SMILING DISEASE mask looks like it could be a Krampus.
Great collection of masks today, Dennis. Those Paul McCarthy’s, whew.
Here’s a recent favorite:
https://oxman.com/projects/vespers-ii
My eyes are probably still tired from watching Paul Sharits’ T.O.U.C.H.I.N.G. last night. Very inspiring, but I think I need a calm and contemplative movie to rest.
Bill
Hi Dennis,
Longtime reader, first time commenter! Writing from Detroit. I love this post, and it got me thinking of a film I’ve been obsessed with recently, Gerry, directed by Gus Van Sant. The face covering–litham?–the Matt Damon Gerry creates periodically. Speaking of which, I’ve kicked off a new series over at 3:AM Magazine and want to invite you to contribute if you’re interested. It’s called “Minute 9.”
https://www.3ammagazine.com/3am/minute-9/
Contributors write a shortish riff on minute 9 of a movie of their choice. I went first with Gerry and others are forthcoming. I would love to include your take on the ninth minute of a movie of your choosing! I hope all is better than well with you!
This makes me want to make masks.
Popped by to wish you a merry Christmas Dennis…. hope you are OK… all my love David Porter (wot wrote earlier this year and last year on your blog)
Xxxx
Hey Dennis, thanks so much for sharing the link to Steven and I’s thing. Hopefully some folks find something worthwhile in it I think I kinda like the first track the most I like how Steven used sound to build to silence and then used the silence to accent and frame the text. Anyway, Steven is probably able to make a trip to LA in late Feb or early March work so we can see ya before filming commences. Though being an extra does sound alluring. Anyway, we will sort our our details and stay in touch re: plans 🙂
wow, the miyako tengyu ones are terrifying. the old dudes with the scenic pictures in front of their face are kinda sweet to me though. i was in the art gallery of nova scotia last week and saw these ginormous masks hanging on the wall and i had a little giggle to myself thinking about how big someone’s head would have to be to actually wear them.
that wall of voodoo song is terrifying, jesus. sounds like a horror movie score. was talking to this boy i have a crush on the other day about how i’d love to use man sized sextet by pj harvey in a horror movie someday, that song is so scary to me. other scary songs i’ve heard – ptolemaea by ethel cain, exorcisme~ by mama baer, and army of me by björk. i’m not as scared of army of me anymore but when i first heard it at age 15 i felt really unsettled. same can be said about antonio by maddy ellwanger.
off to bed! enjoy my spooky little playlist
(okay third time’s the charm? i’ve tried to comment twice already but don’t see them! i’ll split the post up into paragraphs maybe that’s the issue. will actually be so embarrassed if the other posts show up after this and i just end up spamming the page dkkdd sorry if that happens! actually let me post this first and see if i can reply to it.)
yay, it worked! okay let’s see if i can do the rest.
oh wow this is so nuts, thank you so much dennis! okay i’m not gonna gush too much because i don’t want to be annoying, but this completely made my day/week/life and it means the whole world to me that you could see yourself in my posts 🤍 the interview was one of the hugest parts of the book for me too actually, it was one of the first treatments of child abuse i’ve read where everything felt real or emotionally exact instead of being, basically, noisy and sensationalist? i mean there’s sade/pasolini/sotos of course but they’re not exactly chill about it and i sort of needed that, even if i didn’t know it beforehand. like i’m not being 100% artistic about my appreciation honestly, i hope that’s okay, like i know you’re doing something very aesthetically deliberate and not just being journalistic but the scene’s still super important to me for other, basically naive reasons? but i obviously also think it was artistically utter genius of you 🤍 also yeah, i adore roger! and ken’s suuuch a great character, i think about him every time i try to write someone “evil” and don’t want to be really corny about it 🌙
so i don’t do too much actually, i’m honestly just a rando! like i published a couple poems in high school and i still write draw and sometimes make sculpture, but most of that is just for me ✨ like i’m not private about it or treating it as a hobby, but i don’t show anything anywhere and no one reads or really knows me. my only real claim to fame is that i bumbled my way into editing a translation of jean laplanche’s apres-coup seminar for my professor when i was 21 and i think it may have won some fancy prize or whatever? but otherwise my life has been pretty tumultuous and i don’t have a ton going on right now besides the stuff i’m doing on my own and things i’m doing to prepare to finish my BA. like i’m very serious about the work i do but not a lot of other people take me too seriously, i’m honestly sort of fine with that though? or if not okay, like it still doesn’t matter to me hugely! oh but one thing i guess is i’ve been getting a little close with kenji siratori the past couple weeks? just over twitter, and like the relationship started out contentiously honestly, i didn’t know he was reading my blog and when i found out i got convinced he was picking on me and really humiliated myself over it 🙃 but we ended up talking making up and now we’re sort of, kind of close! like he tells me he likes me and everything, it’s honestly super sweet 🤍 but yeah like i sent him a mark fisher article on sophie that got him really excited and he started working on a new posthumanism magazine after that, i might have some snippets from a novel i’m working on in there? and he’s also doing some GAN art for it using some porn i sent him of me, not professional at all just web stuff i’ve making since my teens (nothing actually dicey though, don’t worry!) but yeah like igi if this sounds a bit psychotic lol, it’s kind of unbelievable to me too, but i swear i’m not making this up i think he’d probably tell you about me too if you asked him about jade or ann zoo? (pen name)
i do post art and writing and stuff, it mostly gets ignored but there’s a tag for it on my tumblr! beyond delighted and flattered by your interest 🤍 https://anticlaires.tumblr.com/tagged/w i also just clicked through to the matthew arnold works! yeah i think i do see a clearer connection to some of the gif fiction procedures actually, like compared to sharits? both of these artists are deeply cool too, i’m not extraordinarily versed in film so tyvm for putting me on! very geeked that one of my absolute favorite unexampled/world-shifting art things is also involved in this completely fascinating stylistic community? i hope i’m not reading too much into it though!
speaking of a twitter mutual of mine, cam scott, wrote an essay about zac’s freight elevator/zac’s haunted house actually, i’m not sure if you’ve come across it? i like it a lot, i think i get a bit lost in some of really citational fredric jameson-y cultural emplotting stuff he’s doing, but it seems like a very cool read of your work from an original perspective! this line i found particularly astute: “One might suggest that accusations of literary sadism have to do with the nervous policing of a boundary between reader and author, a hazy distinction which Cooper specifically repudiates.” https://culture.org/logger/zac-descending/ okay wow, that got really long 😭 please don’t hesitate to ignore as much of this as would make it more convenient for you to deal with! thanks so much again for being kind cool generous to me, it really does mean a ton 🤍 —jade
god, wait i actually feel so obnoxious for leaving this huge thread, sorry for turning into a motormouth all of a sudden? i swear this looked a lot more reasonable in my notes 😭