In this talk at noon Thursday, April 30 in 266 Rhatigan Student Center, Pike Room or via Microsoft Teams, the keynote speaker, Miguel Chavez, traces the history of the lucha libre mask and its evolving role in popular culture. He explores how masks draw on religious and cultural iconography to craft characters, tell stories and forge connections with audiences across both local and global contexts.
Lucha libre is often recognized for its high-flying acrobatics, elaborate costumes and colorful masks. But while masks are commonly understood as tools for concealing one’s identity, for many luchadores and luchadoras, the mask enables the performance of identities that cannot easily exist in everyday life.
Chavez is a doctoral candidate in the Department of Sociology and a Mellon Cluster Fellow in Gender and Sexuality Studies at Northwestern University. He is currently conducting fieldwork in Mexico City, where he trains alongside professional wrestlers in the lucha libre scene.
Join for a brown bag lunch, and if you want to join virtually, contact Sara Mata at sara.mata@wichita.edu or Rocío Del Águila at rocio.delaguila@wichita.edu.