A designer from Edinburgh has opened a new exhibition after attending the Venice Carnival to showcase her hand-made venetian masks.
Lorraine Pritchard trained in Florence to perfect her traditional papier mache techniques. She now makes masks which are a mix of wearable and 3D wall art.
After presenting her range of masks in Italy, her works have gone on display at Edinburgh’s Storytelling Centre.
Venetian masks have a rich history dating back to the Middle Ages when they first became an integral part of Venice’s culture and the famous Venice Carnival.
Originally, masks allowed wearers to conceal their identity and social status, enabling them to interact freely across different social classes.
STV NewsHowever, when Napoleon banned the Carnival and the wearing of masks in 1797, the tradition almost disappeared, until it was revived in the late 20th century by artisan makers who still practice today.
Lorraine brought her creations to the Venice Carnival, a ten-day celebration combining history, culture and vibrant Venetian traditions with curated events, parties, balls, and costumes.
It can take up to 20 hours for her to paint a mask.
She said: “Wearing the mask allows you to reveal more of yourself. So rather than actually hiding and becoming just the mask, you do find that your own personality and your own character comes out from behind the mask.
“Your confidence grows; so you can leave the mask off and then become more of the person you really believe that you actually are.”
STV NewsLorraine’s display is part of the wider Pomegranate Festival which is an annual celebration of new dance theatre and screen dance shows, as well as new productions and residencies.
The co-curator of the Pomegranates Festival Lliyana Nedkova said: “When we think of masks we immediately think of the carnival. But across Scotland and across the world there are examples of traditional dance practises that employ the mask.
“They have the mask as part of the costume but that also means that the artists behind the masks need to become very versatile – how to wear it well and how to dance well with these masks on.”
The display will be on at The Storytelling Centre until May 12.
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