Two Masks, One Face

The image I analyzed is a digital image in Sara G. Umenoto’s third gallery called Histrionic Alpha Wave. The title helps anticipates the drama the image is trying to proclaim. The image has a woman laying her head down on what seems to be a counter with two drama masks, one in red and one in blue. While holding the red, happy faced mask, her eyes are closed and she seems to be lost in deep sleep or thought. Her face mostly blank with a slight frown makes it seem as though she is contradicting herself when holding the happy faced mask. The blue frown faced mask is tied to a pulley that the string is in woman’s hand. It almost as if the happy face is what she wants to show but the sad, depressed face will always be dragging along. The faces are extreme in there emotions, almost as if she couldn’t be able to find a happy medium. The happy mask is almost going to cover her face. The way she holds the mask in her hand gently gives off the idea that she doesn’t strongly feel happy. The sad mask is getting lightly pulled up, which could signify the idea of her getting closer and closer to putting on her true mask.

In the background, waves are going diagonally across with a dark black backdrop. They could represent the alpha waves from the sleeping cycle. Alpha waves are most associated with relaxation and peacefulness. That can be linked to how calm the woman’s face is. Umenoto seems to have a message of a melodramatic woman going through the stages of being happy and sad instead of being at peace. Maybe her most peaceful time is when she is sleeping when happiness isn’t completely on but sadness is still there. It’s a medium that she can’t reach otherwise. The peacefulness she wishes to achieve could be possible if the drama masks were put of the picture.

I enjoyed this image because of how it is difficult to be extremely happy and sadness does creep up on you. Reaching the peacefulness endured during sleep’s alpha period can be hard when awake. Her use of colors also helps emphasize the message. Each of the masks have the right color to represent the extremity of happy versus sad. Red is an intense color while blue is the blue she choose is more mellow. The darkness gives the image an edge on how its not a happy piece there are deep meanings that have a negative connotation. As a mood artist,, Umento was able to portray her message of drama and feeling digitally while still making the image realistic with the woman and fantasy like with the background.