mask - oppression

Indian Ink on Paper - 760x570mm - 2013

Referencing and building upon ancient Mesoamerican iconography, specifically their use of deities, I explored the dominance social masks have over people. I drew the mask as a representation of the oppression human’s put on the self in order to function in society. The mask flows downward into a chameleon deity that both spews forth and supports the mask. I also wanted to explore shape and contrast, how the shades of black are confined and dictated by the frame of shapes, but also how contrast enriches its confinements.

I tried doing a series of sketches for this mask, because the size I was working on doing little A4 sketches didn’t give me a good feel of how the drawing should work. I settled to start drawing it and hope it works out for the best. Out of all my large ink drawings this is the one I’m happiest with.

It took roughly 2 months to complete. I drew the left half of the mask first then traced over it on tracing paper and used transfer paper to get the symmetrical shapes. This is a frustrating way to work because some lines might not transfer properly. Lucky for me my older brother got me a giant A1 light box meant for X-Rays as a gift so I don’t have to both for the carbon paper anymore.

This drawing also shows best why I enjoy drawing in black and white. I find the eye plays with interrupting shapes better than if a drawing has been coloured. Colour for me differentiates different elements of a drawing, I like my pieces to be connected as one. Happy accidents are plentiful when drawing in black and white, creating unexpected shapes that I can further play with or only realise are there when I finish is very satisfying. It also goes with my feelings of never knowing what the hell I’m doing and hoping everything works out okay. It’s the feedback and discovery of drawing that makes it fun for me.

Have you ever tried to write out a thought that’s really specific in your mind but when you write it out you find it’s quite hard to grasp in reality what was so clear in your head? Through writing out the thoughts you end up exploring more thoughts that hadn’t initially occurred to you? Maybe not. If you have drawing is the same for me. It’s fucken fun to discover more and more of a drawing, seeing how it takes form, building the narrative of the picture both intentionally and unintentionally.

I remember having a discussion with a guy that the best way to draw something is the way it’s drawn. I like that thought. There’s always things that I want to fix or wish I did differently at the end of a drawing but it turned out how it turned out, just have accept it, and learn, and then do the next drawing.

Thank you for looking and for having a read.