When one thinks of movies where masks are the protagonists, the iconic ball from Eyes Wide Shut, the film by Stanley Kubrick (who died before its release) with Nicole Kidman and Tom Cruise quickly comes to mind. Also Fifty Shades of Grey, catapulted to the top ten of cinema with erotic undertones thanks to the spicy adventures of Christian (Jamie Dornan) and Anastasia (Dakota Jackson). The list continues with another genre that has nothing to do with it, that of superheroes, led by Spider-Man: Far From Home, where the web-slinger is up to his usual antics in the Old Continent.
The iconic masks that have immortalized all these films came from the same hands, those of Augusto Maurandi, one of the most renowned artists in the sector worldwide. Hence, Hollywood has surrendered to his talent. "I still have the one from Fifty Shades of Grey and I loved making the one for Spider-Man, as I have been a fan since I was a kid. And even though all the work was kept secret, and I didn't even know which character I was creating it for, so I had to make several versions for them to choose," he says in perfect Spanish (his father was Argentine) from his workshop, located, as it could not be otherwise, in Venice.
It was the city that popularized this attire during the Middle Ages as a mechanism to unleash the most hidden passions (and thus go unnoticed), on the one hand, and to ward off the plague, on the other, which wiped out more than half of the population at that time. "They used to put some kind of essences on the nose part to protect themselves from diseases and repel the smell of death," explains the specialist, who has also worked for the series Gossip Girl, parties for Playboy magazine, or the latest film by Francis Ford Coppola,Megalopolis. He also had to keep secret until the premiere with which famous director he was collaborating.
Anyone who wants to learn all these curiosities and, at the same time, create their own mask as in the past can do so in one of the workshops held at his studio, Carta Alta, lasting two hours. Entering his private refuge is already quite an experience, with walls and nooks filled with murals and canvases featuring masked characters, sketches of his creations in papier-mâché, eco-friendly paint jars, glitter in bulk, a thousand and one colorful ribbons, and posters and clippings from the aforementioned movies.
It is located in Giudecca, the quiet group of islands south of the historic center of the Italian city famous for its churches and original constructions like the Molino Stucky, built in the late 19th century in an unusual industrial neo-Gothic style to house wheat and beer storage factories over time. Right next to it is Spacio Punch, the non-profit cultural center founded by Maurandi and composed of various projects in art, fashion, design, literature, and architecture.
Carta Alta is one of them. In their location, students enjoy selecting the mask model they want to bring to life to take home, the colors, the accessories they want to decorate it with (winged horses, stars, hearts, harlequins, skulls...), the ribbons to hang on the sides... Both the workshop director and his assistant are responsible for guiding the participants, who have fun like children with the experience, while learning not only about the history of masks but also about the city itself.
HOW TO GET THERE. There are direct flights to Venice from Spain with different airlines, including Iberia. You can also arrive by boat or train.
WHERE TO STAY. Avani Rio Novo Venice Hotel. One of the 35 hotels of the Avani brand, from Minor Hotels, spread around the world. Inspired by cinema, its location in the Dorsoduro district, not so touristy, allows you to discover another side of the city. In this line, it organizes local experiences such as the mask-making workshop at Carta Alta, as well as a sunrise running route (without people) or a glass workshop on the island of Murano.
WHERE TO EAT. In addition to the 8 Millimetri Cicchetti & Wine restaurant at Avani, specializing in typical Venetian tapas (cicchetti), a good option is the traditional cuisine of Osteria alla Bifora, in Campo Santa Margherita, or to experience a classic of the city like Harry's Bar, next to St. Mark's Square.
MORE INFORMATION. On the Venice Tourism website:www.veneziaunica.it And on the Carta Alta workshop website: cartaalta.com