The Gasmaskerade Ball: A personal synopsis
by
Michael H Hodgson | 12.18.2007
A Gasmaskerade Ball is meant to be a serendipitous portal linking cultural and artistic communities; it represents an enigmatic approach to celebrating our cultural diversity through universal art forms such as mask-making, as well as live music, theater, creative expressions and shameless merrymaking....the world is on fire; you can either celebrate the end or visualize new beginnings.
A Gasmaskerade Ball is about self-determination
Before I attempt to afford you some clarity, please keep in mind that this summation is merely my own perspective as to what constitutes a Gasmaskerade Ball (also Gasque or GMB)—what it is, is not and has the potential to become; I am one of the event’s original architects—but mostly I am speaking as an individual and what this event means to me as an artist.
A Musical Soiree
If you don’t like to get caught up in the details, then this paragraph’s for you. The Gasque is basically a kick-ass autumn masquerade celebration you’d be a fool to miss: Free food, live music, community art and, best of all, a safe-haven for synchronicities and free expression. It’s also a masquerade, so you are expected to wear your imagination not only on your sleeve, but on your face as well! People who attend are strongly encouraged to create hand-crafted and original masks and outfits—to be a gasquerader is to become a walking expression of creative revelry and shameless wonder.
(Click on the image to view a youtube vid of the event)
An Artistic Village
Mask-making is a universal art form, and a great way to explore diversity. A Gasque is a community art festival; it is also an experiment in collaborative organizing. This event is made possible through the voluntary collective efforts of diversely representative groups and persons—at the ’07 GMB, for example, the Lancaster Independent Media Center, The Theater of the Seventh Sister, the Lancaster Chapter of Food Not Bombs, Bradley Infotainment and several individuals, such as local musicians, activists and a local celebrated artist, shared in the responsibilities. This collective style of teamwork helps to instill community-building, as well as make the event sustainable and unrivaled by commercialized seasonal celebrations. We hope to see expanded involvement in the future from groups such as Lancaster IdieARTS, Lancaster Punk Rock Flea Market and local art galleries and schools of art. This is a "for the community…by the community" event! You dig!
A Gasque is intentionally provocative
Provocative festival events like the Gasmaskerade Ball exist not only to unmask fear, but to teach the power of compassion and the beauty of diversity. The enemy of peace and creativity alike is fear. Fear is a phenomenon considered to be the universal harbinger of all despair, distrust and, consequently, the perpetual annihilation of creativity. Gas-masks represent fear and the epitome of humanity’s savagery and compassion. Because of this they are the perfect symbol for a masquerade event that challenges corporate control and the Culture of Fear through the earliest form of sustainability: art and free expression.
Gasmaskerade is a permutation of two words: Gas-masks and masquerade; indicating, at least on the surface, the rebellious, or confrontational, nature of the event—everybody is talking about revolution, we just want people to walk with the shadows of their fears in front where they can see them, rather than mocking them from behind. The world is on fire; you can either visualize the end or celebrate new beginnings. By revealing fear for what it really is--just a mask—we can begin to undo the curse of violence and injustice that was passed on to us by our parents, and that we pass on to our children,—we can begin to embark on the greatest adventure of all--removing fear from our hearts and intentions.
A Gasque is amorphous
The GMB may seem, at first glance, nebulous or ill-defined. The truth is, a Gasque means many things to many people, and in this way the event harbors a great deal of creative possibilities.
A Gasmaskerade is beyond the scope of tight-definition; protected from the vile realm of hyper-commercialization and profit-driven branding. You may come to love or despise this event, but you will at least be satisfied with your lack of ambiguity.
This event is also meant to be a serendipitous portal between multi-cultural, artistic and activist communities; it represents an enigmatic approach to celebrating our cultural diversity through universal art forms such as mask-making, live music, theater, puppetry, creative expressions and shameless merrymaking.
A Crude Art Faire
Lancaster is a city of artists; we even have a Gallery Row. Broadly speaking the GMB is a crude art affair (as opposed to fine art); independent artists exist not as clones or stereotyped and profit-driven replicas, but as unique individuals with a passion for de-commercializing creativity. Crude art simply implies artistic forms of expression both within and outside of conventional genres; not only defying genre, they simultaneously create new ones. Everything at a Gasque is hand-crafted and original.
Art for art’s sake!
The world is full of opinions regarding what is or is not art, but one thing is for certain: Art is always intentional. Art evokes emotion and is for that reason subject to ideologies and political views. By “political” I am not talking about the philosophies of Democrats, Republicans or Libertarians; I am simply referring to the fact that we are all individuals with inimitable experiences and opinions. So, while some people create art for the sake of art alone: Landscapes, portraits, still-life—others transfer educational symbolism into their work: allegories, memes, satire, warnings or irony. I am not saying either one is any better than the other. As individuals we can accept or reject the message being conveyed in a chosen master piece, but we should not be afraid either way, as artists or individuals. Consider this: What if you saw a painting of the Statue of Liberty wearing a gas-mask? What was the artist’s intent? What is your opinion and how does it reflect who you are as a person? Does it offend or disturb you? Perhaps it reflects your own personal belief that our democracy is under siege? Either way you should feel confident in the fact that you are not being ambiguous; you know where you stand!
Art of changing meanings
Fear is, in all its many disingenuous guises, just a mask. This festival experience is based in part on the Latin concept of chiasmus, which can be translated as "the art of changing meanings" (For a wonderful historic perspective study the life of former slave and Abolitionist Frederick Douglass
Art and Sustainability
There can be no such thing as a sustainable society without the presence of artists. Artists have a responsibility to society, like poets, philosophers and public servants. As often as possible our work should teach and express empathy. We must remember the words of Thich Nhat Hanh: "All violence is injustice…the only antidote to violence is compassion."
And what’s more…..
Get your masque on! The GMB can become more than just another artists’ event:
------->Imagine a week long street festival celebrating art, sustainability and diversity……
------->Imagine a multi-traditional bicycle float parade with community marching bands, puppets and other hand-crafted creations……
------->Imagine a Carnival of Lancaster!
"You have seen how a man was made a slave; you shall see how a slave was made a man." Frederick Douglass, Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave, Written by Himself
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