Join us at ROJO on Thursday, October 3, 2024 from 5 to 9pm for the opening of Behind the Mask, our annual exhibit of some of the beautiful masks created by Bare Hands’ Day of the Dead Mask Krewe for the Día de los Muertos festival!

The masks will be on display and available for purchase October 3 - 30, 2024.  Any unsold masks will travel to the Día de los Muertos festival on Saturday, November 2, 2024 at Sloss Furnaces and join many more masks for sale in the Bare Hands tent in the festival art market. Proceeds from mask sales benefit Bare Hands, Inc. 

The Mask Krewe is one of Bare Hands’ longest-running volunteer teams. Founded in 2005 by Birmingham artist Craig Legg, this krewe is composed of local artists who generously donate their time and creativity to produce 150 to 200 masks each year celebrating the festival’s vibrant spirit. This year we had a record 35 artists involved in mask creation! 

The intricate creative process takes place over several months. It begins with handcrafting each mask from papier-mâché draped over molded forms or inflated balloons, which are then left to dry in the sun. Once dry, the masks are individually painted and adorned in a variety of styles, adding color and energy to the celebration and offering festival goers a tangible reminder of the event. 

Artists featured in Behind the Mask:

Sybille Kristensen - Christina Cenczyk - Claire Spollen - Ilya Kristensen - Ellie Strang - Marion Jones - Peter Wilm - Lillis Taylor - Christianne Strang - Wendy Jarvis - Cheryl May - Leslie Gallo - Michelle Dean - Candy Mayer - Rebecca Reeves - Stephanie Welch - Johnny Welch - Marjorie Boykin - Dariana Dervis - Liz Malcom - Sylvia Mooney - Elena Moreno