Hello, I'm Mariko♡
Ha-ha! Am I scary?
I'm wearing a Noh mask.
Noh is Japan's oldest form theatrical art with performance, dance & music. It was listed for UNESCO world heritage with Kyogen in 2001. Most Noh repertoires have stories in them, but some only do abstract plots such as admiring beauty of iris flowers or thanking or praying for rich harvest.
It's formally played on the special Noh stage with a roof.
A main role or main roles of Noh wear special masks made of wood. Fortunately I had a chance to visit an atelier of Noh mask artist, Ms. Nakamura. (Sorry, but Japanese only.)
Wow∑o(*'o'*)o!!
Many masks welcomed me,
but some of them seemed
to have agony and
some to be sad.
Ms. Nakamura showed the process.
The Noh performers do not change their masks during the play. So a mask must not have only a kind of emotion with it.
It changes the expression when a performer moves, and it's possible because Noh masks are stereoscopic.
She looks
smiling to me.
What do you
think?
