THE LATINO PRESENCE IN AMERICAN ART CULTURAL MASKMAKING Viola Frey (American, ) Ethnic Man 1991

Masks are a wonderful way to celebrate culture (the sum of attitudes, customs, beliefs and values that distinguishes one group of people from another).

IS THIS MASK… an ART OBJECT? Handmade Meant to be looked at or admired Beautiful and tells a story a HISTORICAL ARTIFACT? Something that is old and was used in the past Tells something about the people who made it a CEREMONIAL OBJECT? Objects used during a ceremony or religious or cultural celebration

Viola Frey (American, ) Ethnic Man 1991 Viola Frey’s colossal Ethnic Man does not represent one single ethnicity, but all ethnic groups, combined in a single figure. The size of the figures compels viewers to look up, recalling childhood memories of our relationship to the adults in our lives. “My images,” Frey said, “carry with them contradictions which challenge our own sense of self and which also challenge the inanimate immobility we initially attribute to object and thing.”

The Pascola Mask The Pascola, meaning the old man of the ceremony, can be defined as the host of traditional celebrations such as Patron saint days and the Holy Week by the indigenous groups in the Northeast of the country. Mayos, Yaquis and Guajiros consider there cannot be a feast without a Pascola and his dances help mediate between the community and the gods. Between dances, he jokes and tells obscene stories. He wears a wooden mask that symbolizes the spirit of the mountains. When the Pascola wears the mask on the back of the head he is representing a human and when he covers his face with the mask he is acting like an animal.

The Devil Mask Devil masks are made of wood and are used in various dances and representations during Christmas; some of these representations are called Pastorelas, and tell how a shepherd on his way to visit baby Jesus is tempted by the devil. Although they represent evil, these devils are humorous and amuse the spectators. The devil masks are used in Guerrero, Michoacan and Colima.

The Giant Mask The giant mask is used in La Danza del Gigante in Chiapas at Carnival. The dance represents the story of David and Goliath. Goliath, who carries a wooden machete, repeatedly charges the audience and frightens the children.

The Old Man Mask These masks are used in La Danza de los Viejitos (Old Men Dance) from Michoacán. The dance starts out with aching and hunched over old men, with minimal movements which slowly turn into vigorous dancing combined with trembling and coughing and ending with the old men falling down.

Coconut Masks Whimsical, colorful purely decorative masks made to please the eyes of the possible buyers in Guerrero State. Coconut masks’ popular motifs are sun faces, mermaids and animal faces.

The Conquest Dance Masks The Conquest Dance is a representation of the Spanish conquest over the native cultures. This dance is held in Guerrero, Oaxaca, Puebla, Veracruz, Nayarit and Jalisco during different celebrations.

Animal Masks for the Morenos Dance La Danza de los Morenos is a dance from Suchitlan Colima performed on Easter, in the Santa Cruz Day on May 3 and on Pentecost. 18 dancers called Los Morenos (the dark-skinned) wearing masks of cats, dogs, goats, coyotes, donkeys, rosters and macaws dance in couples to distract the Roman soldiers that guard Jesus tomb. The object of this dance is to get into Jesus tomb and bring him back to life.

The Jaguar Mask These masks are used in different dances in the States of Guerrero, Oaxaca, Puebla, Chiapas and Tabasco. In Guerrero one of the dances is called La Danza de Los Tecuanes, (The Human Eaters Dance) and focus on the hunting and killing of the jaguar character, which has been harassing the community. Other Jaguar dances are concerned with maintaining balance in the natural world and the agricultural cycle.

The Pharisees Mask These masks are used during the Holy Week representing the Pharisees; usually made by the participants with cloths, papier mache or wood; they can be made like animals or humans and represent evil. After the Holy Week celebrations are over the masks are burnt which symbolizes evil's defeat.

The Moors and Christians Dance Masks This dance was brought to Mexico by the Spaniards and it represents the battle between the Moors and the Spaniards at the end of the 15th century, and the subsequent expulsion of the Moors from Spain; its main character is Saint James.

Angel Masks The angel motif is taken from the baroque putto. The putto is a figure of a baby or toddler, often naked and having wings. These figurines were used as decorations in churches all around colonial Mexico. The masks are made in Guerrero State.

San Francisco Ozomatlan, Guerrero A Nahuatl community in the Mezcala region located on the Balsas River basin with 1300 inhabitants, San Francisco Ozomatlán is known for its wooden masks. Most of the families in the village carve masks as a side job being farming their main livelihood.

T ocuaro, Michoacan Tocuaro is a small town located in the Patzcuaro lake side. Wooden devils, animals, human faces and a combination of all the mentioned subjects painted with bright colors are characteristic to the community where many families hand craft masks.

Suchitlan, Colima Suchitlan is a village with strong dancing traditions that have been preserved and enlarged thanks to the dedication of mask maker and choreographer Herminio Candelario Dolores. Herminio was the son of Basilio Dolores one of the town's mask makers and from him he learned the craft but most important the dances, their choreography and costumes.