Blog 3: Personal Reflection
My project was Mask making and Politics of which the objective was to make a mask inspired by a political message that we were passionate about. This links well to my costume degree as it’s an element we are yet to explore technically yet I am interested in the process. I chose to focus on deforestation and extinction threatening to wipe out entire species. Not only is this something I care a great deal about but it also links to the better lives theme of sustainability. I focused on the threat towards jaguars as deforestation of the Amazon due to unsustainable farming, as well as a number of other causes, and poaching have put them at risk of extinction.
In our first session, we looked at masks in the context of different cultures and principles. Such as the characters portrayed in Venetian masks. Which expanded the diversity of our research. We also explored possible materials to use to construct the mask. I chose to use papier-mache as it worked the best with my final design as it would be easy to paint. To make the mask we made a base on a face plaster cast out of clay. However, I had only just finished this stage during our final lesson before Easter and the coronavirus lockdown so I had not yet moved onto the papier-mache stage. And my mould is most likely dried up and unusable. As a result, I am unable to physically complete it. The COVID 19 crisis has also made it hard for me to keep up with this unit. I am a practical learner and I struggle to sit and listen to the lectures, and to stay concentrated and engaged, as they are now online.
The mask I intended to make was a jaguar with an open mouth bearing its canine teeth. The face of the wearer would be situated inside of the mouth obstructed by the teeth. I was then going to paint this in the correct colours but in a Bhuntanes like style. However, as I have been unable to carry this on the work has become more research-focused which has been useful in gaining more advanced knowledge of masks and how they are used and made in different cultures.
Overall it’s obvious that this better lives project would have been brilliant if it hadn’t been, rightfully, disturbed by the COVID 19 pandemic. I was so looking forward to making my mask and I think it would have been brilliant but at least I now have the knowledge to maybe make it in the future and incorporate it into my own degree. I have also been able to explore the better lives themes further and focus on my favourite of the three; sustainability.