what lies beneath

we put them on the minute we step out the front door. we feel naked without them. we never feel confident without them. in fact, time and time again, they have been our lifesavers... in less than ideal situations. we wear them for different reasons. to protect us from judgement. to feel safe. to gain position. to hide something, anything.

 i collect masks and these are some of my cherished ones.

i bought this Indonesian tribal mask in a thrift shop in Singapore. many areas in Indonesia still believe strongly in the power of the masks. they are used in ceremonies to ward off demons, evil spirits or sickness or to prevent natural disasters such as famine or drought.

these are miniature Balinese bird masks and floral masks used in the Mask Dance, one of world's oldest performing arts known to man. these are made of lightweight wood and embellished with batik (a wax-resist dying technique) patterns.

this is a traditional Chinese opera mask that i bought in a street market in HongKong. Colors are used in Chinese masks to depict a certain expression or trait. For example, this particular mask use the colors red and black which signifies loyalty, faithfulness and courage (red) and firmness, honesty or temerity (black).

this one is an African tribal mask with a beard made from heavy hardwood that i bought in one of the souks in Morocco. masks in Africa are depicted very differently than that of the people in Asia. to Africans, ancestry is very important and the mask is used to honor their ancestors.

they say each person wears a minimum of five masks everyday.

*linking to Thrift Share Tuesday @Apron Thrift Girl :)