Masking – a mirroring of forces

Abstract

This present paper aims to address the notion of masking based on the idea of mirroring of forces, a concept developed by the Portuguese philosopher José Gil. Considering that masks are associated with the philosophical concept of becoming, masked actors supposedly stop being to become transition. When placed on the face, the effect of the mask on the body implies several gestural compositions. The geometry depicted by the mask can draw landscapes on the space through the body and the dynamics of the actors while interacting in their creative process. [...] These are the arranging principles which forces of composition act in the spheres of perception that seem to escape their scope of identification meanwhile providing potential vectors of significance. The receiving and the affective exchange that take place in this process of spreading forms, sensations, and vibrations, can make this theatrical experience boundless and unique.