As these things happen when we are on the road, we met a Canadian in Ostend, Belgium. Radio Juxtapoz was on the road for the annual Crystal Ship and as we love with the mural festivals we get to see the process, the ideas and the creation of so many works from so many different practices. Katie Green creates masks, what she calls "intimate watercolour personas that are eerie and ethereal." On a mural level, this requires participation and something quite unique. 


Her project, as she notes on her IG, "is a community driven process which uses handmade masks as a way to build community, find healing, and explore aspects of self. By designing and wearing a mask, invited participants are given the opportunity to present society with an internal, alternate, or imagined part of themselves. The mask creates a safe space—both expressive and anonymous—to share oneself with the outside world."

Like Ostends' beloved James Ensor, "Katie uses masks as a symbol for intrigue. Masks are a passageway between what we perceive on the outside and the mystery of what lies beyond. In Ensor’s work, his masks are unpredictable and we are invited to befriend our own imaginations as we ponder the hidden subjects. In this project masks become an extension of self, where each participant is guided through a curated process that brings them closer to their internal landscape." 

So for Crystal Ship, Green worked with the community to create masks, and chose this particular mask as an ode to the city and Ensor's work. And we have her on this episode of Radio Juxtapoz. 

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The Radio Juxtapoz podcast is hosted by FIFTH WALL TV's Doug Gillen and Juxtapoz editor, Evan Pricco. Episode 137 was recorded by Gillen in Ostend in April 2024 during Crystal Ship. Follow us on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@radiojuxtapoz⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠