Adrian and I have been busy working with Frank and Helen Hyder from Projects Gallery to coordinate a special show for September 2011, a juried art exhibition entitled “Máscara (Mask)”. Occasionally, this prestigious gallery creates opportunities in its exhibition schedule to showcase quality artists in a respected exhibition venue. The gallery seeks to serve the wider artist community through a variety of thematic group shows, opening new avenues for artists to present their work to a broader audience. In the past, these types of venues have occasionally resulted in Projects Gallery discovering unique talent, which have resulted in long-term relationships.

Our Theme: Everyone wears a mask, whether literally or figurative. What are we trying to hide? What are we trying to reveal? Ancient man used the altered human form to represent the mysteries of his world. Shaman or medicine men wear body paint or crafted objects to transform themselves into forms from the spirit world. Modern humans wear masks of all kinds – as part of religious rituals, in theater, in sports, in entertainment, in combat as well as in the face they present to others. Our aim is to gather a compelling and varied group of artists who capture the use of the mask in contemporary society.

Juror: Henry Bermudez– This Venice Biennale Venezuelan artist has shown throughout the world and has more than 30 solo exhibitions and has participated in more than 75 group exhibitions. His works are in the collection of: National Museum of Catholic Art & History, New York, NY; Venezuela National Gallery, Caracas, Venezuela; Venezuela Petroleum Company (P.D.V.S.A.), Maracaibo, Venezuela; Museum of Contemporary Art Sofia Imber, Caracas, Venezuela; Museum of Contemporary Art, Maracaibo, Venezuela; Museum of Contemporary Art Juan, Merida, Venezuela; Museum of Contemporary Art Mario Abreu, Maracay, Venezuela; Modern Art Museum of Costa Rica, Costa Rica; Puebla Cultural House, Puebla, Mexico; Museum of Art Ralli, Punta Del Este, Uruguay; Heinz Industry Art Collection, Caracas, Venezuela; Hans Newman Art Collection, Caracas, Venezuela; Harry Manil Art Collection, Caracas, Venezuela; Frederick D. Seely, New York, NY; Haig Garden Collection, New York, NY