The Mask Project

We created a call for art while being stranded in Paris, called Send your quarantine art, on Instagram. We received literally thousands of artworks from all over the world, and we came to realize that offering calls for art and competitions enhanced artists’ creativity. When masks popped out from all over all of a sudden, we all hated them. We therefore decided to turn the struggle into a creative process. The Mask Project is an original answer to the difficult times artists are facing, featuring the mask as a territory of expression and turning it into art.

As the Covid-19 crisis impacted the whole world, the mask became the universal symbol of this unprecedented period. It’s certain that their emergence in our everyday lives has stirred a lot of emotion and engaged in great political commentary, especially in the US, but I think masks are by nature ambiguous – they hide as much as they express, they protect and restrict at the same time.
Like no other artifact, masks engage to confront the invisible and question the norms. They transform the person who wears them as much as the ones looking at them, and create a unique and uncanny dialogue. Masks are synonym with shapeshifting, that’s why they’re wonderful ways to explore the transformation of society and subjects like identity, gender or pollution. That’s certainly why the project resonates so much with the current situation, not only with the Covid-19 crisis but also the environmental, societal, and political struggles the world is facing.
It’s also a wonderful medium for artists to take over, especially now. While galleries and museums are closed, the contemporary art of mask-making can hopefully have its moment. Masks are often used in fashion but mostly as complementary pieces. We hope this competition will create bridges between cultures and, most of all, bring more light to some of the incredible talents behind the masks.

Well, yesterday we had a mask submission made entirely of cat hair; we surely didn’t anticipate that one! We are humbled and very excited about the diversity of submissions we’re receiving, and they’re coming from all over the world. The Mask Project Gallery is like a giant mask show exploring different cultures, continents, worlds and emotions with a modern and contemporary vibe.

We wanted The Mask Project to be as open, transparent and inclusive as possible. We believe in social curation – that’s the reason why we chose to open the competition to the public vote. We entrust the public to elect ten finalists in both categories. It gives the opportunity for all artists to be seen and their work shared easily. Then, the jury will select three winners per category.

When we started doing research for the project, we were amazed by the quality and diversity of wearable artworks that exist. We rapidly came across the Instagram profiles of Carina Shoshtary @fashion_for _bank_robbers and Jym Davies @_false_face – both provide a superb curation of the art of mask-making, they truly are wonderful sources of inspiration. We also asked photographer Delphine Diallo as she’s been working extensively with masks. Her knowledge, the quality of her work and the role she plays with the artistic community in New York are priceless.
To bring as much light as possible on the artworks and create connections, we also wanted to have fashion and art magazines on board. We have been blessed by the support we received. Some members are high-end art curators, like @ArtsXdesign, @picame, @contemporaryartcollectors, @emergentmagazine or @myartisreal. Others are more fashion oriented, like @thekunstmagazine, @sickymag, @flanelle, and @hautepunch. On top of that, we have received the invaluable support of @the.pinklemonade, who offers a special price: a post on his famous feed (+1M followers) for the artist of his choice.
The Curators is a Brooklyn-based project, and when the Georges Floyd tragedy happened, we were shaken to the core. And we know how much the Equal Justice Initiative’s work against social injustice is precious and how difficult it can be to act upon inequality. Donating $1 of each submission to the cause seemed like the one thing we could actually act on.

Before the gallery, Augustin was helping his friends to sell their art – sometimes through proper exhibitions he organized, sometimes on the street, like with street artist Denis Ouch. With the emergence of Instagram, we thought that there was an opportunity to showcase friends and artists we believed in. The Curators DNA is to bring light to emerging artists through collections created by guest curators. We figured that the best way to support unknown talents was to have them being introduced by respected figures from the art, the entertainment or the fashion worlds. Being showcased alongside more ‘advanced’ artists creates a unique emulation.