Masks We Wear: Exhibition

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University of Glasgow Advanced Research Centre

Fantastic exhibition returning to University of Glagow ARC Monday 26 May 2025 – Friday 30 May 2025

Advanced Research Centre, University of Glasgow, 11 Chapel Ln, Glasgow G11 6EW

This exhibition features artworks by 37 young people attending Hyndland Secondary School. ‘Masks We Wear’ showcases the work of pupils S3 – S5 featuring plaster cast masks, paintings and drawings created between September 2023 and March 2024.

This exhibition is part of the AHRC IAA project ‘Mask across anatomy, anthropology, theatre and the visual arts’.

Podcast with Rodrigo Hernandez Gomez – Art Teacher at Hyndland Secondary School and creator of the exhibition. And Elisa Spegnini, who inspired the exhibition with her book ”Fragments, Genius and Madness: Masks and Mask-Making in the fin de siecle Imagination.”

mask drawing

It is part of a collaborative educational programme where pupils engaged in talks on masks by University of Glasgow researchers, visited the Scottish Mask and Puppet Centre, the Anatomical Museum in Edinburgh and attended a show at Sharmanka Theatre. They explored the many functions of masks in connection to theatre, ritual, anatomical practices. During practical workshops they acquired paper-mache and life-casting skills and created their own masks, as well as drawings and paintings that reflect their understanding of masks as ornaments, portraits and as tools for transformation.

Rodrigo Hernandez Gomez, Art Teacher, Hyndland Secondary School

The exhibition was produced by Hyndland Secondary’s Art Department in partnership with the University of Glasgow. Rodrigo Hernandez Gomez is the art teacher at Hyndland Secondary School that organised the mask exhibition at ARC. The key person involved from the University was Dr Elisa Segnini, who wrote the book ‘Fragments, Genius and Madness: Masks and Mask-Making in the fin de siecle Imagination.

fragments genius and madness

Most important of all are the artists, Rodrigo’s art students from S3 to S5 whose work is celebrated at the exhibition.

‘I went along to see Masks We Wear on Saturday 30 March at the Spring Fling at ARC – I loved it and couldn’t believe it was the work of school children. What a brilliant exhibition – well done to the students and everyone involved. I was delighted to meet Rodrigo and today, 1st April, was delighted to chat to him and Elisa for my Podcast. (Pat Byrne, 1 April, 2024)

The exhibition will stay on until the 6th of April at the ARC Building of the University of Glasgow. Returning once again 26 – 30 May, 2025.

Please provide feedback if you have visited the exhibition.

This educational programme was funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC).

Free entry | Drop in
Monday – Friday: 0800 – 18:00
Saturday: 1200 – 1500