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THE SOUL OF MASKS
“EYES WIDE SHUT” By Donna L. Clovis
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H
e stands in a small workshop most of the day, painting the souls of faces as masks. Sergio Boldrin, the creator of all masks for the movie, “Eyes Wide Shut,” starring Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman, speaks of his most famous mask masterpieces.
“I love practicing my art in my small shop,” Boldrin said, “This is how I make my masks, one by one with care.” Entering the world of Boldrin is like taking an adventure into the subconscious. We are unable to distinguish the dream
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examine his work. The masks are really us, not just melancholy characters of past memory. His style has been noted to be expressionistic. One may choose to read his works by watching Boldrin at work in his small shop. The masks seem to move against the backdrop of the bustling city of Venice. A slice of light cuts across his face through the store window as he works.The ceiling bulb sends its full glare upon the characters below. Flashing earth-tones, vivid golds, and yellows are bathed in this magical world. Boldrin becomes a mask along with the stock of characters that strive to maintain the old Venetian art form.
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from reality. He paints masks that have nothing to do with traditional masks we are used to. His masks are more grotesque, tragic, and desperate. Boldrin projects the emotion that we are unable to express as we struggle to adapt to our stressful society. Perhaps there is the risk we discover when we
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Mask making in Venice dates back to the thirteenth century. This ancient profession of “mascareri” was first founded under the Painter’s Guild in Italy. Masks were used in the government, in the theater, and as disguise providing ancient Venetians anonymity.
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Located at the base of the Rialto Bridge in Venice, Italy since 1984, Boldrin offers a variety of hand-made masks from medieval figures to those of the eighteenth century.
Today, Boldrin is a major force in keeping mask making alive. His work has been featured in Harpar’s Bazaar, The New York Times, Vogue, and the most infamous film, “Eyes Wide Shut.”
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