Masked Identity

Materials:

Wire, gel medium, tracing paper, hot glue, preserved Spanish moss

In Bloom

Artist Statement:

     In this project, I wanted the mask to represent some of what I've been going through this passed semester. It's been a particularly rough one, and keeping my head above water has been difficult to say the least. However, I did my best to take an outside stance and think more on the growth that I'm experiencing through all of this. I can't necessarily see it, but I've grown stronger and have learned myself's limits, and that there is strength in admitting one's weaknesses. 

     For the structure of the mask, I wanted the angles to be harsh and sharp, something unnatural and startling to look at. My thought process was that the harsh angles would look almost painful, because often times pain is very much involved with self-growth, and usually it's a very uncomfortable experience. Furthermore, the wearer can't see out of the mask. This is representative of how usually we can't see what the actual outcome of the work is that you're doing to yourself, you just hear how people have told you you've changed. The mask renders the person blind, and they must rely on their other senses to understand the mental/emotional/etc changes they're going through. Furthermore, there's a juxtaposition between the organic material and unnatural shape, as change is a very natural thing people go through all the time, whether big or little, but it usually makes us feel uncomfortable or anxious. I also wanted the mask to be made of the organic material to emphasize where real self-growth and change is cultivated (the mind), but more on that later.

     I chose for the setting to be outside because it is a reminder of how, just as there is personal growth, you have to be aware that others are growing around you too. Sometimes you can't see that either. It just happens.

     The poses range slightly in the chosen photos. Mostly it involves a spade digging into the mask/resting near it, with a flower being held by the stem propped against it. The hint at literal digging and planting into the mask is representative of how we grow and change our minds/selves every day. Again, sometimes this is painful, shown with the spade digging into the "skull"/mask, but the experience is necessary nevertheless in order to grow from it, and to grow the flower.

     The outfit, which is just a simple black dress, is meant to emphasize the change from the body to the head. The black I wanted to be symbolic and/or reminiscent of soil. While physical changes are obvious, the mind is where true growth happens, which is why the mask is covered in the green moss.

     I only had two props. The first is the spade, which represents the tools/self-work that goes into cultivating personal growth. Its sharpness and almost-stabbing motion in the pictures represents that sometimes personal growth requires accepting flaws and working through them, trying to change them, even if it's painful. The flower metaphorically stems from the mask, but is unseen by the wearer. The only interaction they have with the flower is holding the stem. Although this new beginning (further emphasized by the pure, white color) has formed and flourished, it isn't always easily seen because growth is not always obvious to oneself, even if other's notice it easily. All the wearer feels are the thorns on the stem, not the blossom.

Inspiration:

Gladys Paulus, artist, UK

Craig Green, UK

Yuni Kim Lang, artist, USA