The Diva and Midnight - Hiroshi Watanabe felt keenly the uneasy relationships the Venetians have with their foreign guests - resentful but wholly dependent - and he wondered if he could inflect his pictures with this discomfort. He had been working on various series of portraits for some years, including Japanese themes such as Kabuki actors, Bunkraku dolls, Noh masks, and most recently, love dolls. As masks are meant both to reveal (deeper truths and emotions) and disguise (identity). Watanabe decided they would serve his intention to depict Venetian unease. He would focus on the rich tradition of masks and costumes in Venice (both Harlequin and Pantaloon were invented here). He approached the Italian Commedia dell'Arte, which ultimately led him to the Pantakin Company, a fruitful collaboration ensued. Watanabe's actors portrayed Pulcinella, Innamorata, etc. and donned other masks as well: Strega (denoting a witch), Morte, and Bauta (a carnival mask also required at certain political decision-making events to guarantee anonymity).
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