I use artistic expression to comment on issues of self-awareness and identity.
The relationship or connection between the mask-like aesthetic and the “wearer” of this “facade” is central to my discourse. I refer to them as, Maskeriti: a people that feel intrinsically linked to their outward appearance, that feel naked without their masks.
My work is not an attempt to separate the person from the masks they wear. Instead, I investigate the concept of the mask and it’s role as the perceived representation or projection of a person. In a society that deals with a global pandemic and health, the role of the mask has become a symbol of hope. Yet, in an age where social media and working remotely keeps us connected, our appearances we project unto the world become more disconnected, more mask-like.
Our curiosities, however, want us to peek behind the curtain and see the true version of ourselves and others. We long for meaning and depth and truth.
But fear keeps the Maskeriti hidden behind the veneer of values and beliefs subconsciously projected by themselves unto those around them. They end up too afraid to be their true selves, and they have only themselves to blame.
