“Brain injuries caused by blast events change soldiers in ways many can’t articulate. Some use art therapy, creating painted masks to express how they feel. Brain trauma from blast force is the signature injury of the Iraq and Afghanistan campaigns, afflicting hundreds of thousands of U.S. combat personnel. Although unseen, the damage strikes deeply into a soldier’s mind and psyche.” This is how a recent article in National Geographic begins. It has lots of pictures of masks made by the recovering soldiers. You can see the whole article by going to http://www.nationalgeographic.com/healing-soldiers/

The Mystery Mask blog’s history is mostly about traditional masks from various ethnic groups around the world. This one is much different. Steampunk is a modern movement that gets some of its inspiration from the writings of Jules Verne and H. G. Wells. It celebrates a sci-fi fantasy of a steam-powered age. There are many other kinds of masks for Halloween, parties, celebrations, parades, decorating or just collecting. There are also masks that cover the face for other reasons. Some protect us from possible injury or sickness and others hide the wearer from recognition. These can be quite old or come from unusual places, others are just part of modern-day…

In the spirit of full disclosure, I must confess that the maker of this unusual mask is a neighbor of mine whom I admire and whose work I will unashamedly promote. The artist is Mark Wagner and he has become well known in the world of fine art for his collages crafted out of US currency– specifically the one dollar bill featuring The Father of Our Country, missing in this case. I think you’ll enjoy seeing more of his art at http://markwagnerinc.com/

Some of you may not know about the Steampunk movement, or the fact that it includes masks. The genre started with Jules Verne, H.G. Wells, and Mary Shelley. Later the term steampunk was coined by K. W. Jeter in the late 1980s. It was a clever way to describe his and a few other authors’ style of writing, tying the word cyberpunk to the Victorian era.

Q:  I am a member of the Carapace Project’s team. We create customized masks using 3d body scanning technique and high-quality 3d printers. Your work and your website represent a source of inspiration for us and makes me feel you are one of those people who would like to see what “the mask from the future” looks like. So, we would like to introduce you our new collection, Carapace.  Fabrizio, 748 A:  This is pretty cool stuff.

Q:  In discussion with a friend, I took a picture of some of the masks on the wall. We were discussing the different origins of Carnival masks.  One looks like the Guy Fawkes mask… I think the other a Venice mask?  I came across your site, as we were trying to research. I unfortunately do not have detailed and separate photos. I know they are for fun and decorations, but if you could help identify where these masks are from, I would be very grateful. If not, I understand.  Ruhi, 734 A:  Seeing your photo of three store-bought plastic masks intrigued me.

This wonderful clay mask was done by my friend, Scott Paden, when he was an art student. (Today, many years later, he is Director of Preservation for OLBN, an architectural firm with offices in DC, New York and Beijing.)  725 Masks are a combination of sculpture and painting. Art teachers know that and will often assign masks as a class project that integrates social studies, literature, history and religion, and introduces the students to new materials such as papier mache, plaster, clay, metal, wood, etc. It can be a delight to see the results of these student efforts.

Q: I would appreciate a brief description of the raku mask, it measures approximately 11″ x 6″ and was purchased at an estate sale. I am an artist and a mask collector.  Ann, 552 A: As an artist and mask enthusiast it makes sense that you would be attracted to a beautiful piece of art such as this.