A NEW CONFERENCE under the “HANDS.MASKS.MAKERS” series by the National Museum of the Romanian Peasant
The National Museum of the Romanian Peasant, Romanian partner in our project, invites the local audience in Bucharest on Monday, March 23rd, 2026, at 6:00 p.m., to the Museum Media Hall for a new edition of the “Conferences at the Boulevard”.
Hands. Masks. Makers is a mini-series of events centered around the world of masks: ritual performance, celebrations, and the craft of mask-making, organized in conjunction with the Museum’s participation in the European project “MASKS EU: unveiling the art and craft behind masks.”
In past editions, the public was invited to step into the workshops of traditional mask makers from across Romania.
In this third edition, the invited speaker is Dr. Vita Santoro, anthropologist and researcher at the University of Basilicata, joining via teleconference.
Dr. Santoro, Ph.D. in cultural anthropology, is currently an assistant professor and academic coordinator of the European MASKS project. Her research focuses on intangible cultural heritage, ethnographic museums, writing, rituals, masks and masked balls, migration, and marginalized communities. She is also Vice President of the Italian scientific society SIMBDEA.
Drawing on field research on winter rituals in the inland areas of the Basilicata region (Southern Italy), conducted as part of the European MASKS project, and using images and videos, the talk will present a series of case studies focused on the current symbolic meanings of masks within ritual time and space.
The discussion will explore the cultural creativity of heritage communities, mask makers, and local stakeholders.
Moderator: Georgiana Vlahbei (mask researcher at the Museum).
Contemporary mask-making practices in Southern and Eastern Europe, as well as the use of masks in various ritual and festive contexts, have been documented over the past two years by research teams from Spain, Portugal, Italy, and Romania, partners in the project “MASKS EU: unveiling the art and craft behind masks.”
The initiative begins with the study of traditional masks and carnival parades, aiming to develop a learning program focused on craft processes in mask-making.
The project is co-funded by the European Union through the ERASMUS+ program.
The event will be held in English.
Admission is free.
“Conferences at the Boulevard” is a long-standing series at the National Museum of the Romanian Peasant (MNȚR), initiated by the late professor Vintilă Mihăilescu.
The series features guests—specialists or creators—who present talks based on research, fieldwork, or publications on current topics in ethnology, anthropology, and related cultural fields, in a relaxed setting conducive to discussion.
