Máscaras (Masks)

Book published as part of the Máscaras (Masks) group show. The exhibition project, curated by João Laia and Valentinas Klimašauskas, focused on the role of masks throughout history, materialized in the works of twenty-one artists. An artifact present in society since ancient times, the mask took the most varied forms and roles: from caricature to camouflage, from imitation to social makeup, going through the online and offline world. In the words of the curators, the mask brought together “completely different people in time and space”.

Thought out even before the pandemic, the exhibition was presented when masks became mandatory at the entrance of museums. Two years later, these objects are still present in everyday life, giving the publication a pressing and current symbology. The editorial project, also undertaken by the two curators, included contributions from Guilherme Blanc, Grada Kilomba, Zach Blas and the collective Omsk Social Club. More than a catalogue, “Masks” is an extension of the exhibition project in book format, prolonging its reflections through unpublished and complementary textual contributions to the exhibition.