Liz Dungate (art director) discusses her latest editorial, “Masque to Madness,” in collaboration with photographer Fred Fraser and stylist Joanna Kulpa.
Where did it all start?
Like most concepts there was no single thing that drove the idea, but an accumulation of past experiences and new inspirations, big and small.
I’m fascinated by masks: hand-crafted, antique, theatrical or ceremonial. I’m not talking about cheap mass- produced replicas, or even amazingly life-like latex movie production masks. I think what appeals to me is seeing it as a mask, and recognizing that there’s a real person under the mask who is playing a role, telling a story. There’s also a mystery to the secret life of the person under the mask… who are they, what are they really thinking? When the eyes, as well as the face, are hidden, there is no way to know. Even the models in our shoot expressed how freeing it was to have their own faces (and emotions) hidden while we shot.
I’m also intensely interested in all story-telling, and usually approach both fashion and design-driven projects with this in mind. This story tells the arc of a relationship between two lovers. At first they are “naked” and open to each other, but they begin to play roles, to wear masks, which either hide or hideously enlarge their true feelings. I guess it’s kind of a cautionary tale about truth and relationships.
The masks needed to follow the arc from human to fantastic, so I decided to create them using loose-woven fabric over shaped forms with glues as stiffeners, inspired by antique cloth masks from the 20’s. The resulting unpainted masks are delicate and light enough to support the larger shapes, and while they cover the eyes, they’re sheer enough that the models could see through them while they worked.
For the set I wanted to suggest the theatricality of a stage, while also acting as a dark and neutral setting for the lighter wardrobe and masks to glow against. I was inspired for this look from a previous editorial that Fred (photographer) and I had done. After many years of working together, I trust Fred to create the required magic. I’ve also collaborated enough times with Joanna (stylist) to know she also loves a story where the fashion styling is integral to the look, and not as simple as using the latest looks off the rack.
Like most people, I find inspiration in pop culture, or in works of art or literature, and even sometimes in my own previous works where I see elements I’d like to explore in a new context. Masks continue to intrigue me, I can’t honestly say these will be the last.
See the full exclusive editorial, Masque to Madness. For more information, visit Liz Dungate’s site and Fred Fraser’s site.
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