Masquerade: The Mask As Art

Masks have always been more than simple disguise. They are a part of the alchemy that turns the secular world into the sacred, the mundane into the magical. In festivals and holidays around the world, they elevate humans into the realm of the gods, or, at Halloween, they transform children into demons or witches. From ancient rituals to costume parties, masks exude a power that is magical and evocative.
Masquerade is a gallery of sixty-four original masks created by eminent contemporary artists at the request of the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. Included here are masks by such noted artists as Robert Arneson, Red Grooms, Larry Rivers, Betye Saar, Masami Teraoka, Tom Wesselmann, and William T. Wiley. Beautifully and elegantly reproduced in this special volume, these works of art will delight readers with their diversity and originality.