misaligned
The image shows 4 self-portrait masks. The first mask, on the left was actually made pre-pandemic but inspired the other 3 which I made recently. I cut up the masks in different ways and then reattached the pieces so they were "misaligned" which is what I call this series. These masks are the finished pieces, hanging on the wall, but they are also wearable and I have done photoshoots with them as well.The basis of my body of work comes from an exploration of different facets of my identity. Part of my work is examining my cultural heritage as mixed race (Japanese and English/Scottish) including duality and ‘in-between-ness’. I am also interested in the space within defined margins; where 'beauty' turns into the 'grotesque' and where the outer persona shifts inward and vice versa. By keeping my image a constant, I am able to experiment with multiple iterations and further explore my heritage, experiences, perceptions and inner world, making these visible, tangible and wearable.
