This year's School Day theme focused on the late Middle Ages and the Renaissance, and for the February Carnival, we drew inspiration from the vibrant carnival traditions, masquerades, and festivals of that era. In this way, MYP students explored a variety of medieval and Renaissance masks during their Visual Arts, History, and Civic Education lessons, engaging with them both through fine arts and within the context of Personal and Social education.

Through an interdisciplinary project titled Mask as Punishment or as Part of Personality, students delved into the significance and various types of masks from the Middle Ages and Renaissance, focusing on their artistic characteristics, primarily in Visual Arts classes. In History, students examined human rights, comparing the Middle Ages and Renaissance with modern times, referencing the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Meanwhile, in Civic Education, they explored the concept of human rights, with a particular focus on the right to freedom of expression.

Through designing leaflets about human rights, students highlighted how this right protects various forms of expression, including visual (images, photos, videos), auditory (music, speech, etc.), and behavioral (performance or action). In Visual Arts classes, by creating Masks of Shame and Renaissance Masquerade Masks, they creatively explored the concept of freedom in both verbal and non-verbal communication.

MYP3 students began by exploring the concept of Masks of Shame, a tradition that originated in medieval Europe, and then compared it to the modern understanding of human rights. After studying artifacts of these masks from various European museums, they reimagined and designed their own versions using thin cardboard.

The Mask of Shame in 16th-century Europe was the mildest punishment an accused person could receive. These brank masks were often designed to reflect the nature of the crime committed. Primarily used to punish women accused of offenses like arguing, gossiping, eavesdropping, and spying, the masks featured grotesque faces, large donkey ears, and long, protruding tongues, symbolizing the societal scorn placed on these behaviors.

Male Masks of Shame were typically designed in the shape of a pig's head, symbolizing poor hygiene, or a sharp-toothed wolf's head, used for those who spoke in vulgar or abusive language. These masks would be fastened around the accused's head and face as they were paraded through town, often rendered mute. Some masks even featured a bell at the top, amplifying the spectacle and drawing even more attention to the public shaming. This ritualized punishment served as a form of public humiliation and social condemnation.

In Zagreb, Croatia, during that time, the convicted individual was required to wear a mask as they were paraded from Mark’s Square to the Gate of Dverac, allowing all citizens to witness their public shame following the verdict.

In contrast, the Renaissance Venetian mask reflects the personality of the wearer, allowing them to express their character freely. The mask of Colombina, a maid from the Commedia dell'Arte of the 1530s, is a harlequin mask. Like Harlequin, she is a servant, but her role doesn’t stop her from being bold, playful, and, above all, clever. Colombina embodies vanity, always attentive to her appearance, but she also has a strong, independent personality. This might be her only means of survival in the male-dominated world of the Commedia dell'Arte. Traditionally, the Colombina mask is a half-mask, often decorated with a rich array of jewels, feathers, and fabrics, and painted in gold or silver. It was typically held in place by a ribbon or a stick, adding to its elegance and charm.

MYP1 students began by studying Venetian masks of the character Colombina from various historical sources. They then used this inspiration to design their own masks, incorporating recognizable artistic elements of the harlequin costume.

The school project culminated in an exhibition of the students' artwork displayed in the main school hallway. Each mask is both functional and creatively crafted, inviting observers to engage with them and try them on.

Ivana Devernay Cimić,
the Visual Art Teacher