Mask Item Number: 2956/242 a-b from the MOA: University of British Columbia
Description
Carved wooden mask with two horns, a large nose, smiling lips and a mustache. The mask has six holes along the edges, through which white elastic crisscrosses the back for wearing. Part b is a separate wooden phallus.
History Of Use
Carnival mask. The mask makers of Lazarim have their own unique individual styles and distinctive repertoire of character types; José António da Silva Costa specializes in caricatures of public personalities.
Iconographic Meaning
Mask represents Carlos Castro (1945–2011) who was a Portuguese television personality and journalist, mainly covering gossip items about musicians, actors and celebrities. He became well known after he had 'come out' on television. In January 2011 he was found castrated and bludgeoned to death in a New York City hotel. His boyfriend, a 21-year old male model, eventually confessed to the castration and murder.
Narrative
This mask, when it was worn during carnival, had a penis carving (now part b) as its nose piece. However, in order to sell the piece, the artist cut the original penis off and replaced it with a more benign one, as the original was thought to be too controversial to sell. Shelton was able to acquire the original 'penis-nose' from the artist when purchasing the mask.
Item History
- Made by Jose Antonio da Silva Costa (Maker) in Lazarim, Viseu, Portugal during 2011
- Collected by Anthony A. Shelton in Portugal between 2011 and 2012
- Owned by Anthony A. Shelton before September 17, 2012
- Received from Museum of Anthropology Exhibitions Budget (Funding source) and Anthony A. Shelton (Seller) on September 17, 2012
What
Who
- Culture
- Portuguese
- Creator
- Jose Antonio da Silva Costa (Maker)
- Field Collector
- Anthony A. Shelton
- Previous Owner
- Anthony A. Shelton
- Received from
- Museum of Anthropology Exhibitions Budget (Funding source) and Anthony A. Shelton (Seller)
Where
- Holding Institution
- MOA: University of British Columbia
- Made in
- Lazarim, Viseu, Portugal
- Collected in
- Portugal
When
- Creation Date
- during 2011
- Collection Date
- between 2011 and 2012
- Ownership Date
- before September 17, 2012
- Acquisition Date
- on September 17, 2012
Other
- Condition
- good
- Accession Number
- 2956/0242 a-b