The Gorky Mask

For the series of images Akh Gorky, the artist borrowed the faces from Arshile Gorky’s famous painting The Artist and His Mother (ca. 1926 - 1936) to create masks that are worn by friends, family, and by himself. By wearing the masks, the subjects connect themselves to Gorky vis-à-vis his legendary covering of identity, history, and truth. The masks operate as a separation device and defense mechanism, but also as a point of connection as many viewers are familiar with the poignancy of their haunting gazes.