Cajun Wire Screen Mask

Cajun Wire Screen Mask

Every winter a handful of Louisiana folk artists assemble a mixture of materials to create masks for their Cajun Mardi Gras celebrations. Using window screens, chicken feathers, yarn, paint, markers, and other found materials, they create an unusual variety of masks that will be worn just one day in the year.  The creations hide the identities of the wearer as they move through the countryside singing, dancing, and begging for food and money.  They climb trees, chase chickens and create playful havoc amongst the town. 

Unlike their counterparts in New Orleans who ride around on floats or celebrate in ballrooms, the Cajuns' mask need to be durable and are steeped in rich traditions that make them beautiful folk art today.  I had the pleasure of running into a display of these mask that are photographed here when my husband and I were in New Orleans to celebrate my half century mark in the city of my birth.  I knew I wanted to create a project to try out with the students in my studio and found the perfect opportunity at the start of the North Vancouver Community Art Council's "Young Creative ARTelier workshops" that I am running every Sunday until December 7th.

7 and 8 year old artist

Using wire window screen I bought at the local hardware store, cut, and covered with duct tape so the kids didn't hurt themselves on sharp edges, they used acrylic paints, sharpie pens, and found objects out of the art closet to create their mask.

7 year old

What is interesting about these mask is that even with paint and such on top, the students can still see out of them without any issues yet the artwork hides the identity of the artist since the viewer's eye focuses on what is on the screen instead of what is behind the screen.  It actually creates an eerie look as you can see the person underneath but are unable to focus on the identity.

8 year old

The students also had the opportunity to sculpt the wire by pushing it down on different objects.  Using the acrylic paint bottles, chair corners, and rounded jars, some students raised up the screen to highlight areas of their mask.

9 year old

Although it is hard to tell in this picture, this girl has raised out the eyes on her screen.  She has not finished it yet, but is creating a beard out of yarn that will hang off the bottom.  One of the other things I shared with the students is that a lot of mask wearers take on the identity of the opposite gender to further hide who they really are when out and about as revelers. 

11 year old birthday boy

The wire mesh made it easy to weave through found wire and sew yarn and such into it.  With more time, these could become quite elaborate with beads, buttons and other materials and it will be interesting to see if any of the students continue to add to their screens when they are home.  The two above found the process interesting enough that they asked to take home some extra screen to create more mask once they left.  

It remains to be seen if they will find any chickens to chase in their neighborhood once they are finished but I certainly hope all four students have a grand time creating harmless mayhem under their very own versions of Cajun style wire mask.