My work on the music project includes producing a dark and mysterious painting of the various characters of the Mari Lwyd mumming tradition. In preparation I’m making a series of maquettes, which as regulars here will know is my usual method of exploring a new theme.
A mumming character known to have occasionally taken part in Mari Lwyd events, was the man dressed as a woman sometimes called the He/She or the ‘Judy’ (presumably from Punch & Judy), the reversal of sexual roles in mumming traditions being traceable back as far as the Roman feast of Saturnalia. My father recalled just such a fearsome ‘travesti’ barging into the parlour of Oak House in Llanfrechfa and thrusting a besom up the chimney to swipe the sooty twigs across the whitewashed walls, a vandalism that enraged his mother.
I’ve a notion to put the ‘Judy’ in a crude cloth-mask topped with a countrywoman’s bonnet. A burly farmworker’s body in ill-fitting bodice and skirts, and a face daubed with rough-rouged cheeks and slatternly mouth. There is something darkly disturbing inherent in this paint-faced, hairy-legged, horny-toenailed variant of a wolf in sheep’s clothing.
Below: first-stage unpainted maquette.
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My original reference for the ‘cloth’ mask, was this intriguing photograph.
Those cloth masks are really quite scary, until you get to the one at the front where they seem to have run out of white fabric and draped the kitchen curtain. That made me smile. A trainee scary person perhaps. xx
Clive, masks in all forms, even friendly ones, have always frightened me, so after reading this post and looking at the images, I will be sleeping with the light on tonight!
Then you must have felt as though you’d walked into a chamber of horrors when you came to Tretower all those years ago to find yourself sharing work space with a mask-maker!!! Glad that you managed to conquer your fears enough for us to have become friends!
I see the link from your name is working now. Well done. (-;
haha, i can’t imagine i would have opened that door….!
she’s perfectly hideous! i love the painted face on a hood–as the photo shows, it’s thoroughly creepy!
When the Mari-comes-a-calling, you have to open…….
Both scary and yet intriguing. Also very very Greek. I love how the emotions will have to come from movement.
Yes, Greek indeed. And Roman. (Saturnalia) The traditions go back a long way!
Love the solid shape of that maquette Clive, but that photo is something else. Quite bizarre and immediately puts me in mind of those Saul Steinberg mask photos for some reason. Great to see the project has started. Good luck with it.
Thank you Lesley. Much work lies ahead, but I shall try to post regularly to show progress.
Well that IS creepy, the cloth mask makes me think of several horror movies at once including the Texas Chainsaw Massacre! Thank you for letting us into the start of these ideas taking shape, fascinating stuff
Sometimes the simplest masks are the creepiest. The improvised denial of identity to onlookers that makes us feel as though we are being observed with, perhaps, malign intent. Brrrrrrrrr!!!
Good stuff!
Love that photo
Great, isn’t it?
Great fun Clive
Thank you Julia. There’s a long journey ahead, but the at least the ignition has been turned on!