This cardboard mask, created in 2014, feels more relevant than ever in 2024. When I first made this piece, it was part of an exploration into abstract graffiti and discarded materials—turning something mundane, like cardboard, into a bold, wearable sculpture. At the time, it was simply a creative experiment, a way to challenge myself to think differently about the boundaries of relief art, sculpture, and portraiture.
Looking back, the mask has taken on new meaning in the context of the present. Masks, both literal and metaphorical, have become powerful symbols of identity, anonymity, and protection in our hyperconnected, digital age. The idea of concealing oneself—whether behind a physical mask or a digital screen—feels especially poignant now, as conversations about online anonymity, curated personas, and the fluidity of identity have grown.
The mask’s fractured, angular forms reflect the fragmented nature of how we present ourselves in the digital world. It feels like a precursor to the ways we now navigate online spaces, piecing together different aspects of our personalities while hiding other parts entirely. In 2024, the lines between visibility and invisibility, connection and isolation, are blurrier than ever. This piece inadvertently speaks to those themes, asking us to consider: What are we showing? What are we hiding? And how much of our true selves remain intact beneath it all?
