Masks contain their own traditional colors in order to represent their beauties and show purposes of those colors. The main colors of masks are primary and gaudy colors. The reason why people use these two colors for masks is that masks tend not to be shown clearly during night time without these colors.White, red, black, and blue colors are most widely used for mask colors. People's skin color is being used as a secondary color. Depends on these colors, masks can be interpreted in different ways.
Darker colors represent elderly masks; bright and red colors symbolize young males' masks, and white color mostly indicates female masks. Not only color tell distinction of sex, but it also shows us bearing and a season. Dark color represents winter and North as a death season; reddish color displays productive season which is a summer and a south area.
As a tradition, reddish color masks (young male masks, death season) tend to defeat dark color masks (elderly masks, productive season) because people prefer affluent society rather than desolate plains and circumstances.
Not only types of masks are important, but also color of masks was important too! Our ancestors did not put colors on masks without pointless meaning. Following the spirit of ancestors, our generation needs to keep this tradition.
thanks for this post! I have a question: why do you think red is associated with male versus female? I know that in some cultures, red is seen as a feminine color because things like menstruation. I'd also just be interested to hear more about gender in general in Korean art and dance, because I know next to nothing about it! :) thanks again
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