A watercolor painting of a heterosexual couple wearing masks — *Watercolor painting, CA*

2020

**David Schoffman**

Collecting Community History Initiative Digital Archives, Autry Museum; MSA.64.1.161

“Masks—the most basic and most primitive prophylactic—coupled with the ubiquity of computer devices, have become the twin screens with which we deal with our confinement. I’m trying to slowly record it all with water.”

Masks and the Formation of Identity

In the early months of the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic, face masks would soon become vital both for survival and reducing the transmission of the virus. They soon became important as well to identity formation and the assertion of agency, conveying through art and words the thoughts and actions of people to express their individual power.

People across the West began to wear face masks—whether handmade or store-bought—that helped them find connectivity, solidarity, and levity during the restrictions engendered by a global pandemic.

The face masks below provide glimpses into how individuals—and their communities—responded.

beaded mask, necklace, and skirt on a mannikin — *Handcrafted native mask, La Habra, CA*

2020

**Brighid Pulskamp**

Collecting Community History Initiative Digital Archives, Autry Museum; MSA.64.1.2

“I’ve been handcrafting Native expressive masks by choosing certain fabrics and embellishing them with ribbons and rickrack. I’m working on a beaded one.”

A woman with patterned mask and surgical gloves raises her hands in the air — *Auntie Sewing Squad member, CA*

2020

**Kristina Wong**

Collecting Community History Initiative Digital Archives, Autry Museum; MSA.64.1.14

“This mask represents the community of volunteer mask maskers that I have led during this pandemic—the Auntie Sewing Squad. While it wasn’t intentional, we are largely a group of women of color, specifically, Asian American women. Because this sewing can be so isolating and exhausting, the masks we make represent the generosity and care we take for each other, even though many of us have never met in person.”

A wedding portrait of a heterosexual couple wearing masks, a dog is at their feet — *Wedding Portrait, Sherman Oaks, CA*

2020

**Tori Tingley Ryan**

Collecting Community History Initiative Digital Archives, Autry Museum; MSA.64.2.9

“My husband, Scott Tingley Ryan, and I celebrated our one-year wedding anniversary on May 3, 2020, while under the Safer at Home Order. We wanted to capture the moment as best we could, so we put our wedding clothes back on and had a photo shoot with our homemade masks and our dog, Minnie.”

a series of beaded masks wrapped around a wooden pole — *Beaded Masks, Port Orchard, WA*

2020

Angela Swedberg

Collecting Community History Initiative Digital Archives, Autry Museum; MSA.64.1.128

“The mask represents protection—the “Sun Circle” design I used is a protective design. I have painted many buffalo robes with it. I was also thinking of UV rays from the sun, which destroy viruses. Dragonflies have been a protective design as well. Often the images were painted on horses before battle. I see wearing the masks as preparing to go to battle when I leave my farm and enter the public sphere. I also watch dragonflies as they grab bugs from the air and eat and destroy them. The glass spots represent the Covid-19 virus, and the dragonflies are seeking them out to kill them.”

Mask photography by Nicole Mitchelll — *Mask photography, Los Angeles, CA*

2020

**Nicole Mitchell**

Collecting Community History Initiative Digital Archives, Autry Museum; MSA.64.1.194

“Urbane face covers represent a movement of unity, not only to protect our global health but to consume items where the product lifecycle will benefit the Earth’s ecosystems in the future. I also feel that as a Black woman I naturally lean towards protecting others’ needs before my own, and I have spent sleepless nights to perfect my product, packaging, and content. I’m proud to help others maintain a healthy lifestyle.”

a student wears a mask with her graduation clothing — *Student in Graduation Gown, Chatsworth, CA*

2020

**Robyn Vega**

Collecting Community History Initiative Digital Archives, Autry Museum; MSA.64.1.207

a young girl is masked and dressed for a medical visit, a doll to the left also wears a mask — *Medical Visit, San Pedro, CA*

2020

**EllaRose Bednorz**

Collecting Community History Initiative Digital Archives, Autry Museum; MSA.64.1.249

couple in masks kissing — *Engagement Photoshoot, Burbank, CA*

2020

**Todd Leykamp**

Collecting Community History Initiative Digital Archives, Autry Museum; MSA.64.1.253

Quote by Presilla Kim “This mask represents community and unity. Despite the barriers that it seemingly creates among community members, it does the opposite by bringing my fellow neighbors together, forming bonds that strengthen our relationships with each other.”

Quote by Chad Wood “Unmotivated by fear, rather by empathy and to do no harm, my mask is a shield that protects you more than it does me. Symbolic not of weakness but of preparedness, protection and practicality, it’s a guard against the elements, even ones unseen. Masked and unafraid.”

Met Gala–inspired photoshoot by Añalisa Seimsen-McQuaide — *Met Gala–inspired photoshoot, Burbank, CA*

2020

**Añalisa Seimsen-McQuaide**

Collecting Community History Initiative Digital Archives, Autry Museum; MSA.64.168.0

“Homemade masks, but these were special fancy dress masks for a social distancing version of the Met Gala that we did with the neighbors (socially distancing). It was for our daughters to have something to work on to take their minds off of being ‘stuck in the house’ and have a reason to dress up and feel fancy. My daughter loves fashion, and she was disappointed not see the outfits at the Met Gala, so we decided to do our own home version.”

Quote by Lisa Salvary “The face mask represents taking responsibility for my health and protecting others from the possibility of catching COVID-19 from me. It is a minor inconvenience to wear one, but I also feel a small bit of solidarity with the healthcare and essential workers who are wearing them for much longer times each workday.”

two people wear paper bag masks — *Paper Bag Masks, Santa Fe, NM*

2020

**Victoria and Virginia Carlson-Hopkins**

Collecting Community History Initiative Digital Archives, Autry Museum; MSA.64.1.86

“These masks were made to join a Zoom cocktail gathering of casual gay artist friends; some of whom we knew, some of whom were strangers. Unexpectedly, the masks were disturbing. People saw them as uninvited virus/disease personages.”

Quote by Colleen Mullins “The inability to scream. The inability to go out. The inability to emote. The silencing of my ire at an ineffectual government.”

Quote by Norma Heller “It covers our faces, but it doesn’t have to hide who we are. With this we have a new canvas to express ourselves.”

Land Acknowledgment

The Autry Museum of the American West acknowledges the Gabrielino/Tongva peoples as the traditional land caretakers of Tovaangar (the Los Angeles basin and So. Channel Islands). We recognize that the Autry Museum and its campuses are located on the traditional lands of Gabrielino/Tongva peoples and we pay our respects to the Honuukvetam (Ancestors), ‘Ahiihirom (Elders) and ‘Eyoohiinkem (our relatives/relations) past, present and emerging.

The Autry Museum in Griffith Park

4700 Western Heritage Way

Los Angeles, CA 90027-1462
Located northeast of downtown, across from the Los Angeles Zoo.
Map and Directions

Free parking for Autry visitors.

MUSEUM AND STORE HOURS
Tuesday–Friday 10:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m.
Saturday–Sunday 10:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.

DINING
Food Trucks are available on select days, contact us for details at 323.495.4252.
The cafe is temporarily closed until further notice.