Who Are You? Who Am I?
Who Are You? Who Am I ? is a mixed media installation conceived as the main project of my BFA exhibition Wheels of Life in April of 2019. The interactive sculpture incorporates visuals, audio, and textural components and is meant to be experienced from the outside as the audience, and from the inside as the wearer. The piece is essentially a mask suspended by a pulley system that prompts the viewer to become an active participant in the experience. The wearer of the mask is encouraged to animate the sculpture, while the audience is welcomed to create photos and videos of the installation and share them on social media, adding their own memories and performance to the ever-changing performance.
A viewer’s experience begins by examining the exterior of the mask head. It is decorated with faux fur, lit with LED lights, suspended by tethers and lowered onto the shoulders of the wearer. The mask is quite large, taking the shape of a white animal head, but precisely what animal it may be open to interpretation. The sculpture combines textures for tactile people, incorporating fur, sequins, mesh, ribbons, and wire. There is a single board computer inset into the mask that powers video and audio feeds, providing animated visuals and soft piano music for the wearer.
A central goal of the installation is to make the experience as inclusive as possible for all who would like to participate. The mask incorporates sights, sounds, and textures to create a full experience for the wearer, despite any sensory impairment. The pulley system raises and lowers the mask so that there are no steps or height requirements to try it on. Even for those who would prefer not to put the mask on themselves, the interactive exterior can still be appreciated from the outside.
The installation is also about fun: fun to look at, fun to touch, and fun to try on.