For a holiday twist in advance of the MSU Museum’s major exhibition entitled Mask: Secrets and Revelations opening February 2011, the Ground Floor Gallery will feature four different forms of Christmas masks from the U.S., Germany and Russia. Included are traditional Santa Claus masks made from paper mache, buckram, and plastic, mostly worn by father or uncle when playing Santa for the family;... [read more]

For a holiday twist in advance of the MSU Museum’s major exhibition entitled Mask: Secrets and Revelations opening February 2011, the Ground Floor Gallery will feature four different forms of Christmas masks from the U.S., Germany and Russia. Included are traditional Santa Claus masks made from paper mache, buckram, and plastic, mostly worn by father or uncle when playing Santa for the family; die-cut heavy paper masks given away as advertisements by various businesses for children to wear; Russian masks worn at holiday festivities with the Soviet-era version of Santa Claus, Grandfather Frost; and German and Austrian masks worn to portray St. Nicholas, who brings gifts and treats for good children, and his devilish traveling companion Krampus, who brings the threat of punishment for naughty children. Each of the four mask categories will also be augmented with life-size mannequins in masks and full costume.