Deigan (Nō theater) Print

Mask of a Woman, which because of a heartbreak expresses hurt and madness. Gold ( kandei ), that was used to paint the eyes and teeth, represents a transformation from a beautiful woman into a demon. The reasons for the transformation are jealousy and ultimate detachment from the real world. Evidence of the transformation can be found on the mask in the stylization of the hair and eyebrows which is more typical for masks normally depicting demons (Hannya). Classical Japanese dance theatre is the oldest major theatre art that is still regularly performed today. Noh was inscribed on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO. Taken literally the word means "skill" or "talent". Most prominent feature of Noh are Masks which represent the character’s type. The first maks were carved some time during the Muromachi period (1336 to 1573) and are still being crafted to this day using the same templates. They are carved from blocks of Japanese cypress (檜 "hinoki"). Every mask represents a different character and conveys a set of emotions they experience during a play. There are approximately 450 different masks mostly based on sixty types, all of which have distinctive names. The reason to portray the masks in the triptych "NOH Masks" is my admiration of the fabrication perfection of each mask, as well as a wish to showcase the emotions that accompany the character's transformation.