Behind the Mask
MARCH 23RD, 2024, TO MAY 11TH, 2024
project Room GALLERY
In 2022, the Vernon Public Art Gallery joined forces with Calgary-based artist Katie Green and the Turning Points Collaborative Society to develop an ambitious multifaceted public art project. The result was, Behind the Mask, a community driven public art process that uses handmade masks as a way to build community, find healing, and explore self. Katie Green collaborated closely with 10 individuals from the community and together they came together in an intimate three-part workshop series that included round circle sharing, journaling, mask-making, and creative character development. These workshops created intentional and safe spaces to listen, learn, and share one another’s stories - putting care and relationship building at the centre of this process. Each participant selected 1 out of 25 small portrait paintings depicting different emotions that lead artist Katie Green had prepared; this portrait would be the foundation for their mask.
While some portraits elicit feelings of calmness and ease, others create sensations of emotional discomfort such as grief and anger. Depending on which portrait the participant selects, their unique emotional reaction will guide them towards the self they wish to explore. From here, following a technique using woven cardboard, they will build a mask form onto which they will paper mache a paper print of their selected portrait. The result is a unique mask that translates their vision of self. Together they explored how everyone relates to their selected portrait, asking questions such as, “how does this portrait make you feel?”, “If this character could speak to you, what would it say?”, and “If there was a part of you that could be more visible in the outer world, what would it be?”
The project not only showcased artistic expression it also fostered a collaborative platform for the participating individuals with lived mental health experiences to share their stories through the powerful medium of art. By designing and wearing a mask, the participants were given the opportunity to present society with an internal, alternate, or imagined part of themselves. The mask creates a unique space - both expressive and anonymous - to share oneself with the world at a time when mental health challenges have affected so many of us this project is a story of hope, courage, and community.
Once the masks were completed Katie arranged for photoshoots to give each of the participants the opportunity to wear and embody their mask, exploring aspects of self in front of the camera. In doing so, they were able to share a vulnerable, beautiful exploration of the unseen sides of themselves. Depending on the character development exercises in the workshop phase, the participants chose their own costuming and environment for the photoshoot.
In order to bring this project to fruition the Vernon Art Gallery was able to receive more than $72,500 to bring this project to life from concept to reality. Initially, Vernon city council pledged $33,000 in funding for the project, and several municipally owned locations across the city upon which the ten photo murals would be displayed. But before the project could go any further an online petition entitled “Say no to Vernon’s ‘scary’ new murals” garnered over 4,100 signatories. A counter-petition in support of the murals was also launched but only received just over 1,700 signatures. After the petition against the murals gained traction, and the city received a deluge of emails and phone calls on the subject, which resulted in City Council requesting that The Vernon Public Art Gallery undertook a public engagement session on the future of the murals as part of an exhibition documenting the project which was held in the gallery. The survey found that of the 353 surveyed 65 per cent were in favour of the mural project going forward. Despite the feedback received, the City of Vernon ultimately pulled the funding they had originally committed to the project.
When I first heard about this, I immediately reached out to the Vernon Art Gallery to see if there would be any possibilities of displaying them here in Penticton as part of a larger conversation about the role of public art and the artists in our community. I am thrilled that we were able to finally make this work and I couldn’t think of a better time to host this important exhibit and all the conversations I have no doubt this body of work will spark.
The exhibition will feature the ten masks built by the participants and the accompanying photographs which were originally intended to be mounted throughout the City of Vernon. The exhibition will also feature a short documentary film that was made during the process. We hope to bring the artist Katie Green along with Sierra Bronkhorst, the Learning and Community Engagement Curator for the Vernon Art Gallery, to Penticton at the end of April to talk about this project and role of public art in a community. Please check the gallery’s website for more information as this becomes confirmed.
Katie Green: Artist Statement
I am a Calgary born visual artist who creates watercolour personas that are eerie and ethereal. These whimsical portrait-style personifications are meant to be emotionally visceral; providing me with a healing process that translates as visual characters and scenes that communicate my own internal experiences of discomfort, sexuality, pleasure, pain, grief, fear, and joy. I have used these soul-searching watercolours as inspirations to generate concepts for large-scale mural installations, prototyping the fabrication of masks and puppets, and to facilitate intimate community-based workshops that explore individual, relational, and social complexities through the design and fabrication of persona masks. I have witnessed how masks have been a conduit for building community, healing wounds, articulating humanity, and expressing empowerment.
Katie Green’s artistic journey is a testament to the power of creativity in fostering connection and understanding within communities. Through her diverse range of mediums - painting, muralism, sculpture, and mask and puppet fabrication - she crafts not only visually striking pieces but also opportunities for collective exploration and introspection. As a public figure and facilitator, Katie’s work extends beyond the confines of her studio. She actively engages with various communities, using art as a means to delve into the intricate layers of social dynamics and individual experiences. Her collaborative approach ensures that her audience doesn’t just passively consume art but actively participates in the creative process, unlocking their own wellsprings of magic, expression, and healing.
At the heart of Katie’s practice lies a commitment to authenticity. Through her art, she seeks to unravel the complexities of human existence, allowing viewers to confront their truths and find solace in shared experiences. In doing so, she not only reveals the authentic purpose of her work but also catalyzes meaningful dialogue and transformation within the communities she engages with.
