26 Jun 30 Days of Liberation | Day 26

Making Masks

There is a curious thing about mask making. Firstly, the copying of one’s facial form seems so primitive by nature.

The feel of the materials changing from wet to dry as if mirroring the cycle nature.

The sense of being progressively covered, as if you are being buried alive while trying remain calm as your breathing is progressing restricted.

The awareness of the impermanence of our fleshy forms and our desire to leave something tangible behind when we go.

Ironically, in a time of my life when I (nearly) truly know myself, I find myself drawn to them, perhaps as a way to acknowledge my masks of the past while satisfying a deeper need to feel some sense of permanence.

Masks invoke curious reaction from people. There is some transmit a sense of fear, others attraction to the mystery, some seem suspicion and others project a subtle realisation that we all wear them.

Perhaps the question is, are we conscious of when we wear a mask, and more importantly, why we think we must wear these metaphoric masks throughout our lives?

We hide behind masks. They give us the freedom to play roles. We can hide that which is most or agile in us while painting on the image we wish to demonstrate to the word.

What happens when choose to remove the mask and show who we really are?