A Mask Museum in the making - https://youtu.be/-zUpq0MD8l0
Presented by Cultural Coalition, the Mask Alive Art Collection is a virtual museum with pop-up and traveling exhibits, that features carved wood masks, ceramic and multimedia pieces that exemplify the mask-making traditions from Arizona, the Southwest, Sonora, Mexico. Ultimately, when the collection finds a home within walls, it will also exhibit masks from throughout the world as full Museum & Cultural Center.
The art of mask making and its use in ceremony and ritual goes back to ancient times and is prevalent in all cultures throughout the world. The mask has been an important element in expressing human emotion, used to symbolize our kinship with nature, and in many cases, to celebrate life!
The founding collection pieces of the Mask Museum have been donated by artist and Cultural Coalition Co-Founder, Zarco Guerrero and local arts organizations such as: Childsplay, Ballet Folklórico Primavera, Quetzalli and Ollin Yoliztli Dance Academies, Axé Capoeira and many local performance arts and music groups in the greater Phoenix area.
Mission
A space for creativity and artistic expression that exhibits a global collection of masks and art in celebration of the human cultural practice of storytelling.
Vision
- Recognize that the mask has a special place in the Southwest of the United States with many native groups.
- Highlight that the mask continues to be a vital expression of cultural heritage in local festivals and theatrical performances.
- Support the vitality of grass roots cultural arts organizations and their commitment to folkloric expression.
- Provide a space to continue traditional artistic and cultural practices, while addressing contemporary social issues such as modern indigenous arts, education, and decolonization.
- Produce events, performing arts programs, workshops, lectures and culturally relevant programmatic activities to students, families, artists and community members.
- Collaborations with other mask institutions globally to serve diverse audiences.
- Provide arts education and programming that aligns with state standards for visiting school tour groups to enjoy a hands-on mask making experience.
Core Values
- Respect the cultural traditions of mask making from around the world.
- Preserve the practice of traditional arts and mask making by providing a place to celebrate and elevate the artistry of these arts.
- Exhibit and welcome diverse cultures, voices, points of view, and experiences.
- Support artists as the visionaries and communicators of contemporary issues, utilizing the arts as a way to reach new audiences.
- Keep cultural identities alive in communities through artistic expression, educational programming, live performance, and storytelling.
Support the Mask Museum
DONATE to support the Mask Alive Art Collection becoming a Museum & Cultural Center today!
- Phase 1: Virtual Museum - Launched on Artwork Archive in 2023
- Phase 2: Mobile Museum - First Pop-Up Exhibits opened in March 2023 in Downtown Mesa at two locations. In 2024, a Pop-Up Exhibit was installed at the Heard Museum Free Family Day event on July 20, and more will be installed at the Arizona Center in September of 2024.
- Phase 3: Brick & Mortar - Open a dedicated museum and cultural facility to house the mask collection and host performances, festivals, and educational workshops in Arizona & Mexico
Thanks to support from the SoyMos Chicanos, Friends of Mexican Art, COSTCO Wholesale, City of Mesa, K'é Community Labs, Arizona Humanities and NALAC the collection is available to our community virtually, and through pop-up exhibitions. Exhibits include masks and images of performance artists whose cultural traditions include the use of masks, such as Africa, Japanese, Middle East, Mexico, and Native American cultures. The launching of the Mask Alive Museum is an important development of Cultural Coalition's artistic legacy in Arizona, which began in 1996 but whose founders have been part of Arizona's artistic development since the 1980's.
Download Our Giving Sheet - Help Us Bring The Mask Alive! Museum & Cultural Center to LIFE!
