The Mask

For class, we had to choose a portrait which we liked and analyze it. I chose one of Kathie's self-portraits. She is sitting on the ground, wrapped in newspapers, holding a mask to her face. It caught my eye and my attention so this is the one I chose...


Kathy’s photo can be read many different ways. What first drew me to it was the mask. Although many of the portraits on the wall were not a clear view of the face, this one covers the face in a different manner. It is not someone looking away or focusing on another body part. Her face is right there in front of you, blocked. She is stopping you from looking in, but not entirely because she still uses her eyes to engage and confront the viewer. It is as if she is saying here is my message and what I am trying to say if you can read deep enough into the image.

The mask itself if beautiful, and framed by her dark hair. It is almost a trick that it is there because you look twice after realizing she is hiding her face. She is entirely dressed in newspapers- covered by the news. I loved Emmanuel’s interpretation of this image- how the news is masking her. But I interpret it a different way.

It first reminded me of an ancient Greek sculpture of the Parthenon. On the east pediment, there are three goddesses, one of which may be Aphrodite. This work was made in 430’s BCE before the female nude was ever sculpted. As a sign of sexuality, Aphrodite’s sleeve is falling off her shoulder. This ancient work of art was brought back to my mind after I saw this image. It is probably because her sleeve is black against the white background, but it holds a slight hint of sexuality as did this ancient work of Greece.

A statement she may be saying is how everything is masked, and reality is unknown. We do not see her face, only her eyes. By hiding this essential feature, you have to guess what is behind the mask. She could be stating her opinion on censorship of news material and how nothing is reported objectively- that everything is conveyed with some type of emotion.

At first, I thought she may be stating that she doesn’t feel comfortable or she feels like she is trapped behind a mask or still searching to find herself. But now, looking further into the picture, she is not. Although hidden, she still wears her rings and jewelry, something which belongs and means something to her as a person- it helps define her in a way. I believe we wear what we can relate through, the jewelry we wear holds meaning; otherwise it would not be important to us. So she does define herself. You can see that the title of the article on her newspaper dress talks about films. The mask could show her interest in theater. Not commercial theater but independent films.

The image is presented without a background, not letting me look into the photo frame. Also, her body is almost lost in the white wall behind her, but her hair makes her standout in a shocking, high contrasted way. She is saying that what she looks like is not the essential element of the photo, but what she is saying through the use of her mask, the newspaper and body language. I think this is an awesome image and it grabbed my attention right away.
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Then I read her blog and realized that the newspaper she was wrapped in holds an article she wrote. Kathy is trying to show how she identifies herself through what she wants to do with her life and career.