The artist has carefully selected the twenty or so works (and drawings by his 7-year-old daughter) that appear on these sanitary masks that have become art objects.
When Aids appeared, the watchword was “Get out covered!”, today the global Covid-19 epidemic has launched another watchword : “Get out masked!” And since artists are very often forerunners, avant-garde, so it was natural for one of them to seize the opportunity to interpret this new health accessory, which has already become a fashion accessory, in his own way.
Guadeloupean painter Thierry Alet has decided to make “locally” masks reproducing about twenty of his works taken from the series entitled “Manuscripts”, “Splash”, “The Animals” as well as a detail from a digital drawing made during the lockdown. The artist has also brought a humorous touch to one of his creations which deforms and enlarges the nose and mouth of the person wearing it… Other masks were inspired by the drawings of his seven-year-old daughter, including one for a child.
Democratizing contemporary art
“Enough to make you smile under your masks or call for reflection. If you have to wear masks, why not walk with an art object rather than a surgical object. One that reflects your artistic taste in the image of the works you may have on your walls”, explains the presentation of his work. And since these are not disposable surgical masks or washable masks made of madras or wax, but art objects, the prices are not the same. Indeed, most of these masks cost 24 euros, three of them are sold for 20 euros and two models made in collaboration with the designer Judith Tchakpa are worth 150 euros and 60 euros.
Thierry Alet does not want to produce only his own masks, he offers this service to artists from Guadeloupe and elsewhere “so that they too can participate in this program, always to democratize a little more the presence of contemporary art among the population of our island”.
These masks can be seen on the website of the Art Ruche cafeteria gallery.
