This project focuses on collaborative efforts in creating a wearable mask that relates to the pandemic but has its own unique narrative.
Research
Although we have a lot of experience with this topic because we are amid a pandemic, it was important to start by researching the history behind all other uses of the mask besides the face mask we are so familiar with for disease protection. I discovered that for centuries masks were used not only for protection but also disguise, entertainment or ritual practice. They usually represent supernatural beings, ancestors, and fanciful or imagined figures. We also listened to an eye opening podcast that discussed the use of masks in Asia and how they have been commonplace for so long that they ended up being much more prepared for the pandemic in terms of masking.
Concept Statement
As a result of the pandemic, there is no doubt that people have a stronger online presence somehow even more than they did pre-pandemic. From having to use zoom for work or school to communicating with friends and family over social media rather than meeting in person. We are more confined, in a way, trapped in our phones more than ever before. Living much more online allows any person to be able to portray themselves however they or society wants them too, however inauthentic it may be.
We chose to make a comment on the unrealistic beauty standards that society creates for people today by creating a mask of an “ideal” face. The features are over exaggerated to emphasize the excessive use of makeup, plastic surgery, and even online filters to falsify the appearance of someone. The masks are constructed with paper mâché and are covered in paint resembling thickly applied makeup. To build up the contours of the face, we used a combination of newspaper and paper towel to get the forms moldable as needed. After several layers and letting it completely dry, we painted with acrylic paint since it is easy to blend as if it were makeup. In order to keep the mask on we used a thin elastic string so it sits flush with the face and looks as if it is the skin and so it can be hidden by our hair. Because this is a commentary on societal expectations, the mask does not pertain to one specific person. They are purposefully identical in order to show how we feel pressured to conform to beauty standards thus creating clones of each other instead of encouraging the natural uniqueness of diversity. For our additional sense, we’re focusing on the feeling of the mask itself. It is hard, cold, and obviously very artificial. This relates to our portrayal of the almost non-human face we’ve crafted. In a very literal sense, the mask will represent the mask we feel pressure to apply daily to meet the societal “norm” of attractiveness. Our presentation is a social media account. We want viewers to see how scrolling through a platform’s feed consists of people trying to portray themselves in ways that are not always truthful. The backgrounds that we photoshopped on add another layer of inauthenticity because they are clearly not real. Our online engagement has increased drastically due to the pandemic, and it is hard to tell what is real and what is not when you have limited in person contact. We want to shed light on how unrealistic social media has become with people only showing the highlights.
Courtney and I decided to develop our process together since we worked so closely together throughout the entirety of the project. It was important to us to be on the same page and compare progress every step of the way since a large part of our concept is based on the fact that the masks are identical.
Iterations
Once we decided on designing a mask that comments on figuratively and literally masking natural beauty, we needed to decide how we wanted our features to look. We were going for a very exaggerated version of a stereotypical attractive woman, but sketching a few versions of this helped us to settle on what features should be brought out. We are influenced as to how we should look in so many different formats from “beauty” filters, models with injections and surgerys, and even animated movies from a very young age. We tested out several of these looks.
Production
The paper mâchéing process took the longest to complete because we had to let layers dry before moving onto the next. We used newspaper for a couple base layers and then paper towels to build up the features of the face. The paper towel allowed us to mold the features easier and made transitions smoother overall. For both of these materials we used a mixture of water and mod podge to apply them. We were going to sand down the texture that built up from the paper but chose not too because the feeling of it is a bit unsettling. It is another way to emphasize that this is not natural skin but is very much fake. The painting portion was the most fun to do because it was similar to applying makeup. We used a skin tone slightly oranger than our own natural flesh to exaggerate the unnatural application. The perfectly plump, pink lips and distinctly shaped eyebrows are two features popular for defining beauty if they fit the correct look.
Final
The masks turned out really well in the fact that they are slightly eerie and disturbing to look at. In conjunction with the social media feed and over exaggerated fake posts, I think our narrative is conveyed really well. The identical masks in the photos does a great job at showing how everyone is trying to look like someone they are not. Overall my partner and I worked really well together in all aspects. We listened to one another, took all ideas into consideration, and both put in equal amounts of time and effort. This project was a great introduction to future assignments that may be in collaboration with more than one person.
View the final project at Mask Up: Final