the huxley Project x Group exhibition
‘Mask for Mask’ with mentors The Huxley’s
WUNDER GYM X COLLINGWOOD PROGRAM
EXHIBITING WUNDER GYM MEMBERS: Doug Webb; Fiona Knight; Anthea Riskas; Elli Bardas; Jasmin de Wolf; Jess Owen; Marti Gemmola; Nicole Bilinski; Samara Clifford; Stevie O’Cuana; Tess McCabe, and; Annette Wagner.
Curated by: Annette Wagner.
All photography by: Samara Clifford Photography
WUNDER GYM X WYNDHAM CITY PROGRAM
EXHIBITING WUNDER GYM MEMBERS: Hasina Chowdhury; John Mathet; Shubi Bahugun; Robyn Watson; Cathy Mackay; Tiana Sweeney; Yevgeniya Onofrechook (Jenya); Jenny Rutsch; Angela Hickey; Melissa Lazaridis; Xiang Li; Jasmin Gallardo; Carolyn Warren-Langford, and; Evi Vinogradova.
CURATED BY: Annette Wagner.
Mask FOr Mask - Wunder Gym Project by MENTORS the huxleys
Masks date back to 7000BC and were originally used for protection and disguise. Used in wars, battles and conflicts. They have also been used in ceremonies and for tribal practices, rituals, dances. And to commemorate coming of age and death. Aztecs, Egyptians and African culture used them alot. They were sometimes used to scare off enemies or threats and could be given scary features for this purpose. Original masks were often made of leather and wood.
And some masks were made to honour and celebrate animals. Many were made to resemble certain species. Masks were also used for entertainment, dances and performances. The famous Venice Carnival always uses masks. and the use in ballet and opera over the years is very apparent. Even makeup can be seen as a form of masking. Drag itself is another form of masks. Masks have been by thieves and also in horror movies and Halloween costumes. Edvard Munch’s famous painting ‘The Scream’ is essentially a mask.
The Huxley’s project, established in January, before COVID-19 masks became an everyday consideration, challenged the Wunder Gym members to explore not just their own practice, but the works of Leigh Bowery, Cindy Sherman and the photographs of Charles Freger and Phyllis Galembo.