Malevolence

What you see and how you interpret the work depends on who you are as a person. For me, this series of works represents the malevolence that exists in our reality. The ceramic masks are inspired by See no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil. Growing up, I was often told to ignore the wrongdoings of others, especially adults so I wouldn’t get into trouble. While this phrase has different interpretations, this is the one that has shaped my understanding. These pieces can be viewed in many ways, but to me, they serve as a commentary on today’s social climate. Those with the power to create change often turn a blind eye, choosing silence over action for the sake of self-preservation. In creating these pieces, I began by constructing masks from tape, paper, and wire. I layered clay over the forms to sculpt the faces. The snakes were tedious to craft, as they needed to be hollow to prevent them from exploding in the kiln. I started the process by shaping the snake's mid sections, ensuring they had enough structural support before building up the body. I had to sculpt the detailed head and tail separately before attaching them to avoid the masks from caving.