A decadent lifestyle, promiscuous escapades or live decoration for a ballroom - Venetian masks have a long history of protecting their wearer’s identity and up to this day, represent passion, lust, adventure.
However, masks can hide a darker presence, of man, of society. The duality of life that marked the Renaissance era struck harsh. On the one hand Venice’s Carnevale festival with its joy, wonder and mesmerizing beauty, while on the other hand, the time’s memento mori revolved around the Black Plague.
The ring depicts this duality of the Renaissance era and shows that behind every mask, no matter its beauty, a darker presence could be obscured. We see passion, but the inevitability of death lingers everywhere we go.
Masks hide - want to know what people are actually like? Give them a mask and they will tell you the truth.
