Exhibition Review by Catherine Coutts
Do I really want to go to see an exhibition about masks? At the start of the decade, masks (the ugly type with elastic bands, which cannot be recycled and were often to be found littering almost everywhere) were a topic of significant discussion. How effective and necessary were they in reducing the spread of COVID-19? Would high-grade masks have been better? What scientific evidence was there to support prolonged use? And why could I never find one in a nice toile de jouy fabric?
Thankfully, we seem to have left those face covers in the past and today finds me looking at an exhibition of altogether more attractive, entertaining and honestly priced masks.
Lorraine Pritchard of Rainemaker Studio is the artist-in-residence at this year’s Pomegranates Festival and the exhibition is curated by Iliyana Nedkova and Wendy Timmons of the Traditional Dance Forum of Scotland. The curatorial emphasis is on the role of masks in traditional dance, one of the themes that define this year’s Pomegranates. The exhibition also focuses on the Venice Carnival – a prime example, recognised by UNESCO, of our global intangible cultural heritage, another of the festival themes. As the only Scottish artist performing at the Venice Carnival for the last four years, Lorraine is also the only local artist who completed a course in Venetian mask making with master sculptor and mask maker Agostino Dessi in Florence, Italy. Her fascination with the intricate detail and transformative power of masks led her to collaborate with the Traditional Dance Forum of Scotland and complete a set of 15 newly-commissioned masks which came alive on the stage at the Pomegranates Festival dance theatre finale Hidden Faces.
Pritchard’s first work from her Florence training is also in the exhibition. Named Pierrot, it is made in the traditional Venetian style. It radiates the sadness that one would expect from the clown, but I quickly move on to some more playful works, including Carmen, an elaborate wearable wall mask with bronze relief detail and flamboyant headdress. The humour continues with Tynie, a specially commissioned Heart of Midlothian mask, on loan from a private collection, resplendent in the Hearts tartan, a golden tassle and at least four maroon jingle balls that I could see (a quick look at the Rainemaker website shows that other football teams are available).
The 20-plus masks featured in the exhibition all have their own personalities and stylistic mannerisms as they burst off of the walls of the Scottish Storytelling Centre. Hatter, Disco Lizard and others are cleverly displayed in frames and on mirrors. Particularly attractive are the half masks – the mask is covering the eye area (rather like Batman’s Robin) but with beautiful flowers, feathers and other adornments above it.
Other highlights include Lilibet (inspired by the late Queen’s platinum jubilee), Taggart (Lorraine’s first Harris Tweed Jolly mask, linking Scotland with Venice but still emanating an air of menace) and Maneki, a golden painted cat mask.
I leave the exhibition with a smile on my face having looked at so many beautiful and intricately crafted things. There were too many masks to really go into any detail here, so why don’t you go along yourself and choose your favourites?
Masks by Lorraine Pritchard at the Scottish Storytelling Centre is on from 3 April – 12 May 2025 daily between 10am and 6pm and until late on performance nights at the Scottish Storytelling Centre, High Street, Edinburgh. Entry is free and no registration is required. Masks was complemented by the Venice Carnival exhibition by Lorraine Pritchard, showing at Edinburgh Central Library. Further details here
