Fourteenth International Conference on The Image

Abstract

We are aware of the world because we can see, touch, taste, smell and hear it. Sensorial perceptions tell when something is, but what something is, we learn by past experiences, conditioning and knowledge. Moreover, basic shapes elicit universal emotions, transcending cultural boundaries. Animals, with their distinct movements and features, possess qualities that enable their perception to be universally comprehensible. Within the realm of collective conscious, we encounter psychic structures and cognitive categories that are not unique to individuals but are instead shared by all, exerting influence over our thoughts, behaviors, and worldview. This collective consciousness serves as the dwelling place of archetypes. By combining these fundamental elements, the study delves into the creation of hybrid characters for masks, avoiding fragmented or disjointed features, even when blending animal and human forms. This exploratory research goes beyond mere appearances, contending that drawings only become characters when they belong to a cognitive category. Each character is meticulously defined, encompassing motivations, needs, and traits. Throughout this study, two distinct scales emerged to characterize the characters: (1) a spectrum ranging from realism to symbolism (iconicity) and (2) a continuum spanning from animal to human (hybridity). This study also aims to pave the way for the development of expressive masks that seamlessly blend animal and human qualities, bridging the divide between the two realms while maintaining cohesive and relatable features.