Whilst doing some research around 'the masks we wear', I came across an artist named Joana Choumali. She has produced a series called, 'persona, the social mask', which was interesting. Her take on the masks we wear was influenced by the African culture and Carl Jung, who is another inspiration of mine. In her own words,
"My series reflect the moult of our African society. Impersonate someone richer , more attractive, more serious, or more traditional « Westernized » sometimes both at the same time' and 'Social masks are double-edged : If we are under social pressure and we have this default mask , it becomes a wound, a burden. If we are fully aware and use the mask properly / to our advantage , it becomes a force, a weapon."
She avoids photoshop and creates physical masks that are life size. She then translates literally the notion of " social mask" by projecting the face of a person on another person’s face, regardless of sex , age, or gender.
I do like how she goes on to say "The face lines are uttered, marked , and skins have a waxy aspect. complexion does not conform to the true complexion of the model . the eyes is deliberately expressionless, Frozen faces, masks . People often say " the image that you project ," ... to take the qualities of someone else to appear at its best . For these projections, I do not try to align the facial features , I leave it to chance."
Chance is something I have touched on during this project and feel is necessary to touch on as we as a culture and society are so concerned with the way we look, especially on photographs; having this juxtaposition of leaving the fall of the photograph and alignment up to chance is quite ironic.
In the last set of images, she has projected a series of statements onto the faces that have been painted in white. In her own words,
"These statements reflect the ideas that we hope to project when we choose to wear masks in society. In Africa , the weight of society still seems heavy ... Appearances and social masks allow to survive in the society, we are both simple and complex , we only reveal a part of what we really are. Social networks make it an essential rituals to " be , to seem, to exist." We are moving from traditional mask of the worshiped deity and we become our own gods. Ego replaced the guardian of the community."
Which mask do we wear today ?
When we become aware of the existence of this social mask, we can act consciously on it .
What do we hide behind these masks?
These are questions that I ask myself and that I asked friends of mine that suffer with mental health difficulties. In my research so far about mental health I have found that everybody suffers from one extend to another, at some point in their lives, difficulty with their mental health. It is all relative to each individual. One thing that is common within society is the social mask or what Carl Jung called, 'the persona'.
Another technique I found inspiring after the sewing I had been practicing into my images and from looking at Choumali's work was her project called 'Ca va aller', which means 'it will be ok'. This expression she says is used by the Ivorian's for everything, even for situations that are not going to be ok. It is also a common expression used by people in the British culture, even I say it to myself sometimes, or to my friends when I don't want to address how I am really feeling about a situation.
All the images were taken on her Iphone just after the terrorist attacks, she wanted to be discrete and capture candid and natural shots. She then printed them onto cotton and embroidered over them. I find them beautiful. Most of the pictures show empty places, and people by themselves, walking in the streets or just standing, sitting alone, lost in their thoughts.
She goes on to say,
"Bassam is my refuge, the place i go to unwind and to be by myself. At one hour drive from Abidjan, Bassam is a place full of history, a quiet and peaceful little town. Bassam reminds me of insouciance, all these childhood Sunday afternoons i used to spend with my loved ones on this same beach where the attacks took place. To me, Bassam was a synonym of happiness, until that day."
"In Côte d’Ivoire, people do not discuss their psychological issues, or feelings. A post-traumatic state is often considered as weakness or a mental disease. People hardly talk about their feelings, and each conversation is quickly shortened by a resigned " ça va aller". This work is a way to address the way Ivorian people deal with mental health."
She explains that "Each stitch was a way to recover, to lie down the emotions, the loneliness, and mixed feelings i felt. As an automatic scripture, the act of adding colourful stitches on the pictures has had a soothing effect on me, like a meditation. Embroidery was an act of hope, as well."
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