Projects
Report of an Exhibition entitled, “Gods and Demons, Monkeys and Men:
Masks from Southeast Asia”
The Center for Puppetry Arts
Atlanta, Georgia
Prepared by Dr. Farley Richmond, Professor
Department of Theatre and Film Studies
Director, Center for Asian Studies
University of Georgia
Athens, GA
Illustrated with Photographs by Mr. William Weems
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The objective of this report is to evaluate
the success of the wall text, exhibit design, and printed materials
illuminating the exhibit’s content. This task was made possible
with the aid of selected photographs taken by Mr. William Weems
who visited the exhibition with me March 3, 2007. |
The exhibit is truly remarkable for its range,
variety, and density of visual and textual materials. It serves
as a wonderful contrast and support for the major collection
of puppets for which the Center is justly world-renowned.
A brochure succinctly explains the exhibit. It explores the
importance of masks and mask performances in this region of the
world. Dr. Kathy Foley, Professor Theatre, University of California,
Santa Cruz, who curates the show, was responsible for developing
the brochure. Professor Foley is a respected scholar in this
field, as well as being an accomplished puppeteer. Currently,
she edits the Asian Theatre Journal, published by the
Hawaii University Press.
On the inside front and back cover there are two entertaining
games that might be played using some of the masks in the show
as a source. On the back cover are helpful web references to
other sources of Asian masks and puppets, as well as useful bibliographical
references. |
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On entering the exhibition hall visitors
are greeted by a range of Balinese masks that represent the theme
of the exhibition. |
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On the entrance wall is a simple map of Southeast
Asia marking the location of the principal groups of masks found
in the exhibit. For those who are not aware of the cultural variety
within the region, the map is a helpful reference point for understanding
the geographical range of the exhibition. |
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Clever use has been made of the rectangular exhibition
room that is actually relatively small in size and bounded by a
rather low ceiling. Visiting individuals and groups may easily
navigate through a variety of smaller, well-defined spaces encountering
various areas of emphasis along the way. |
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As you wonder through the room you encounter groupings
illustrating masks of several different genres of performance.
Those of Bali and Java are more numerous and often more impressive,
if only because they provide a wide variety of character types
of some well-known genres of performance. |
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Yet, a cluster of masks used in the Lakhon Khon
of Thailand are equally impressive because of their exceptional
craftsmanship, as well as the splendid costumes worn by performing
artists of the region. |
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Even a Thai shadow puppet provides an illustration
of the link between human dance-drama and puppetry. |
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Exhibited behind a protective clear plastic wall
are some very unusual and valuable masks illustrating the characters
from the Mahabharata worn by Topeng Madura performers. |
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What may be surprising to some might be the presence
of Chinese painted facemasks from Thailand indicating the large
Chinese presence in many parts of Southeast Asia. |
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A revealing display
inside a protective enclosure shows the process of carving masks
from blocks of wood to finished works of art. The mask maker is
Dalang Otama Rasta who makes masks for the Wayang Orang of Sunda
in Bandung, west Java. It is impressive that mask makers such as
this ordinarily use only simple tools to produce sophisticated
character masks. Additional displays, such as this, might well
have been added to the exhibit to demonstrate the process for producing
masks using different types of materials. |
| A videotape illustrating how masks are used in their
performance setting is continuously running at one corner of the
exhibition room. Since most of the masks in the exhibit are meant
to be used in live performances, this video helps a public generally
unfamiliar with the various genres of performance to better understand
how masks define character with the assistance of costumes and
props, accompanied by music and often dance and stylized movements. |
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Some of the varieties of materials from which masks
are made are rattan, delightfully illustrated by the charming female
mask with a bow in her hair and dangling earrings. |
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There is also the rattan and rubber figure
with long nose. |
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A beautiful sophisticated Thai helmet mask of Lord
Rama is delicately painted and beautifully decorated, especially
on the crown. |
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A red-faced mask from central Java with
gold teeth represents a strong personality. |
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The unusual papier-mache helmet mask
of Lord Shiva exudes strength and power. |
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And the fully beaded mask and costume of a Kilimantan
dancer with feathers and teeth as well as a variety of materials
easily reminds you of costumed dancers from the American southwest. |
| To my mind the whole exhibit serves as a wonderful
teaching tool. Students might well be asked to write about various
focused subjects. For example it is possible to examine the range
of masks that use animal motifs, particularly the monkey, or gods,
demons, or men, for that matter. |
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A project might direct students to find masks they
think are unusual. For example the cigarette smoking mask with
red baseball hat, |
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or the soul mask that sports a mustached male and
a sensuous female strike me as good candidates for such a project. |
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There is also a tourist mask from the
Philippines |
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or a helmet headdress crowned by a splendid
white horse from Thailand. |
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The jolly pink man with decided far eastern features |
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or the big lipped black haired lady are also interesting
examples that leap out from the whole collection. |
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A few puppets also have a place in the exhibit because
some mask performance genres share similarities with puppet traditions
of their particular region. For example, there is a handsome Thai
string puppet. |
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A Javanese Wayang Golek puppet hangs at one side
of the initial display wall as though to welcome visitors to the
general exhibition within. Various shadow puppets from different
cultures of the region have a place in the display. Even a marionette
from Rajasthan, India sporting two faces (one male and one female)
is also on display. |
| Finally, on leaving, visitors might well turn back
to the special world in which they have left and see three fabulous
masks hanging high above their heads in the large two storied lobby
atrium. The masks sport large features that seem suited to the
large space in which they are displayed. They represent the wide
variety of cultures inside the exhibition hall. Clearly, the Center
for Puppetry Arts is to be commended for hosting this splendid
exhibition. Undoubtedly it has served as an excellent resource
for teachers and students, as well as a fine example of the power
and potential of small private collections of art and artifacts
in the hands of artists/scholars throughout the world. |
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