The Mask Performance, 2006
Mask Lecture RCA, 2006 During a lecture on ‘Masks and Masking’ that Marenka gave at the Royal College of Art, the audience was asked to put on simple paper masks. A camera pointing into the lecture theatre showed live footage on the large screen, creating a mirror in which the audience looked back at their masked selves. An opera singer sang an improvised piece, giving the moment a sense of poetry and mystery.
The Mask Diary, 2006 The Mask Diary explores people’s reactions to Marenka’s mask performance. It also contemplates thoughts and feelings towards being masked for a period of time.
Mask Drawing, 2006
It was difficult for the skin to breath underneath the mask
Drinking was possible only through a straw
Pet, 2006. Photography. Following the Mask Performance, Marenka made a series of mask-like paintings, drawings and collages. These works became living beings that required their own living space.
Tea Party, 2006. Photography.
Pineapple, 2006. Photography.
For two weeks during her MA, Marenka wore a home-made plaster cast mask of her face, exploring how being devoid of facial expression affects communication and the sense of self-image. During this period she kept a diary noting her experiences, and the reactions of others to the mask. Some of these experiences and a theme of masks in painting have been integrated into her dissertation. The Mask Project resulted in The Fireplace installation, acquired by Alison Jacques Gallery, London.