Mask workshop opens door to healing

WITH Human Rights Day fast approaching, Phansi Museum in Glenwood together with Marian Immerman, a skills coordinator, hosted a workshop titled Masks and Peeling off the layers of our Existence on Saturday.

Immerman’s art-piece, which was recently exhibited at the KwaZulu-Natal Society of Arts (KZNSA) Gallery, acted as a catalyst for this workshop with girls from Durban Child and Youth Care Centre.

“The workshop dealt with layering of clothing. I shared one of my recently completed artworks which was on exhibition at the KZNSA gallery.”

“The thoughts behind this art-piece covers the two issues which are close to my heart; recycling of people and recycling of things. I had some clothing donated by a local designer and the teenage girls had great fun dressing up and were shown how to layer clothing. Experimentation resulted in many quirky unique interpretations,” said Immerman.

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Speaking about the lady with the mask, depicted in her art piece and asked what secrets hide behind masks, Immerman said some masks are merely decorative but others hide disillusionment, insecurity and pain.

The girls were each given masks and urged to open up, allow healing to take place and a sense of freedom, love and empowerment to emerge coupled with a strong feeling of self worth and positivity. The workshop culminated with a guided tour around the museum, calling attention to that layer of our identity that relates to customs and culture and which very often forms an integral part of our being.

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