Mystischer Clown バーサーカー

The "Mystischer Clown" (Mysterious Clown) story, often found in folklore and urban legends, typically involves a clown who embodies a dark and unsettling presence. This figure is often associated with supernatural elements, appearing unexpectedly and causing fear or harm.  

The clown is often depicted as more than just a human, possessing supernatural or otherworldly qualities. 

This is a subversion of the traditional comic clown character, in which the playful trope is instead depicted in a more disturbing nature through the use of horror elements and dark humor. The modern archetype of the evil clown was popularized by the DC Comics supervillain Joker starting in 1940, and again in 1980s by Pennywise from Stephen King's It. The character can be seen as playing on the sense of unease felt by sufferers of coulrophobia, the fear of clowns.

The clown's face and attire can be grotesque, or unsettling, drawing attention to a sinister nature.

The clown appears randomly, often in places where it's not expected, such as in empty houses, or on the street. 

The "Mystischer Clown" story is a cautionary tale that explores the psychological impact of fear and the potential for the dark side of human imagination to manifest in the form of a clown. It's a story that highlights the fear of the unknown and the unsettling nature of seemingly harmless characters. 

These are another kind of masks, different from the usual ones seen at the Venice Carnevale.

They are made by Gilles Bernd Mangeon, from Waldshut - Tiengen, Germany.

They have been at the Venice Carnevale since 2016.

The masks and costumes look like they just walked out of a movie scene/ comic book.

I met Gilles while we were dining at a local restaurant, the guys were actually planning on driving home after lunch but agreed for some quick photos.

And as usual, the portraits are just done on the busy streets of Venice and using natural lighting only...It is not an indoor photo studio, there is no artificial lighting, flash or reflectors...With my costumed friends, we just take our street portraiture to an all new level....

We must move with the times. There are a much more diverse number of costumes that come to the Venice Carnevale every year. It's always a good time to meet new costumers and photograph them....