Official

Date: 1953

Medium: Papier-mâché and oil

Dimensions: 19 x 9 x 7 inches

Edition: 1

Related Information

Exhibitions:
Poindexter Gallery, New York, NY, Paul Harris, September 20–October 8, 1960

Chronology Excerpt:
“Begins working actively in papier-mâché, newspaper, plaster, and fiber (such as rope and fur) to produce a series of fantastical wall mounted masks; by 1954, he will return to experimenting with concrete. In a 1958 feature by Elenore Lester in the Newark Star-Ledger, Paul Harris will say, ‘I was teaching at Knox College in Jamaica. We were short of materials, so I had the students tear up some of their old drawings, dip the strips in glue and press them together to make papier mache. We made our own glue with flour. Working with the students to make masks, I finally decided to try some of my own.’

Jessica Holmes, art critic and former deputy director of the Calder Foundation, argues that ‘though not strictly autobiographical, the work he made in papier-mâché throughout the 1950s references his experiences of the previous decade. Many of these early sculptures were masks, a subject that held great significance for a wide range of artists in the first half of the twentieth century. Notably, Picasso studied masks of the African tradition in depth as he worked towards his Cubist breakthrough, and masks were also a trope that deeply influenced the Surrealists. As a response to the horrors of war, as well as their allusive references to dreams and nightmares, visions, and netherworlds, masks were likewise a potent symbol for Harris and other artists of his generation.’”