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Item description
A series of six images of a portrait of a woman wearing paper mache masks with realistic human features in front of a white background. 1. A woman with brown hair wears a paper mache mask. The lips, eyes, and nose are made of printed photographs, creating an uncannily realistic appearance. The mask is broken into 8 strips, and each strip weaved together and offset, distorting the appearance of the face. The woman touches the mask with both hands. 2. The woman turns her face to the right to ¾ profile, showing off more of the mask’s features. Her own face is just slightly visible under the mask. 3. Some strips of the paper mache mask are now missing, displaying the artist’s own chin, bangs, and eyebrows. 4 strips of the mask remain. The artist holds the remaining fragments to her face, with her nose now visible. 5. The last fragment appears to be falling down, almost as if in motion. The artist holds her hands up to the bottom of her face. 6. The artist stares directly ahead, now maskless.
Image

Self-Portrait (Woven/Coming Undone)

Miya Turnbull

The photograph captures the sequence of events as this mask falls apart, revealing my face underneath, completely exposed and vulnerable. This mask was made by cutting up 2 of my self-portrait photo-masks into strips and then weaving them together to make a new mask (which was tricky as the papier-mâché strips are rigid and different shapes.) This mask only existed temporarily- the tension of the pieces against each other held the mask in place only briefly before crumbling away. The title "Self-Portrait (Woven/Coming Undone)" suggests my feelings during lockdowns of barely holding it together. This photograph was exhibited by Acadia University Art Gallery (Nova Scotia) in 2021 for a group show called "Alone" and featured Pandemic Art.