ELI WHITNEY MUSEUM FUNDRAISER HIDING BEHIND A MASK

 YELLOW-BILLED STORK BY PENRHYN AND ROD COOK

What greater image of mystery and mystic is there than a mask? To disguise, to tantalize, to camouflage, to intrigue, to hide, to transform, a mask is guilty of all these pleasures and plottings. For the 25^thyear, the Eli Whitney Museum is staging its famous Leonardo Challenge, an artistic and creative fundraiser to encourage a new generation of students to open their minds to exploration through experimentation and hands on workshops all year long.

 

On Thursday, April 25, from 5:30 p.m. to 9 p.m., you are invited to experience ”Mask and Metaphor” at the Eli Whitney Museum, 915 Whitney Avenue, Hamden. In years past, one hundred artists from all across the country have been asked to create a painting, jewelry, a child’s game, a piece of furniture, a mobile, a wall hanging, an article of clothing, in fact anything they desire to capture Leonardo’s incredible imagination. Over the years, these artists have worked with playing cards, keys, mirrors, knots, brushes, numbers, rulers, checkers and more. This year masks are the objets d’art.

 

Leonardo da Vinci was noted to be a scientist, architect, inventor, painter, musician, engineer, mathematician, sculptor, historian,a truly original Renaissance man. This inventiveness has provided fuel for the Eli Whitney’s tradition of challenges.The word is that next year, #26, will be dedicated to Letters, as in the alphabet, but don’t tell anyone quite yet.

 

According to Sally Hill, the museum’s Associate Director and Designer, who every year creates the clever theme and invitation, “We hope our artist’s entries will delve into the deeper meanings of masks, the metaphorical aspects. These will not be the masks you don for Halloween.” She anticipates that many will be “wall pieces” as opposed to art you can wear. “We all wear masks, to hide or to enhance. Hats are masks and there are even groups in Africa who are identified by their hair styles, their individual masks.” Hill wants artists to “stretch“ their imaginations, even though she herself will fashion a lamp as she does every year.“We want people not to think of this event as a masquerade but to come and look at the fun and great artwork.”So far, she has received entries from Penrhyn and Rod Cook, a Yellow-Billed Stork, Skull: A Mask for Yorick by Michael and Anna Lombardo, Wooden sculpture: Protectress by Susan Clinard, Bowl: A Bowl in a Bowl Masked by a Bowl by Michael Bower, Metal bowl: "The Mirror" by Moussa Gueye, and Wooden sculpture: Boared? by Mike Dunn.

As if the artwork were not enough, the evening starts outside with a visit to the Big Green Truck Pizza courtesy of Doug Coffin, while inside the hall you’ll find a groaning table of breads from Whole G’s artisan bakers, savory organic entrees from Karen Lenahan at Small Kitchen Big Taste, drink Koffee Cocktails, sample treasures from the Fromagerie at Olmo and drink your fill of brew at Black Hog Brewery, plus fine wine and spirits and a host of delicious desserts.

 

For tickets ($75, with patron opportunities from $250-$5000), call the Eli Whitney Museum and Workshop at 203-777-1833 or online at www.eliwhitney.org.

 

Even though the history of masks date back up to 40,000 years ago, discover much more modern interpretations, artistically and metaphorically, courtesy of the Eli Whitney Museum on Thursday, April 25.