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The Shape of Me
My mask project is about the ways I have been influenced by society for as long as I can remember. Some societal agents are friends, school, family, sports, social media and video games. Of these, the most influential for me have been friends and family. Originally I had planned to do a perfect replica of my face because I thought a person’s face can tell you a lot about them. I realized that because it’s made of plaster, I couldn’t carve it so I decided to just paint on it how I think I have been socialized. I started by looking at the most empty area of the mask. Family and television have told me that men aren’t supposed to be emotional and show their feelings to other people. I’m actually a pretty emotional person, so I have hidden it away for a long time. I thought that by putting a cloth covering my mouth would be a representation that I have been shy my whole life. I am just now starting to be able to speak to people I don’t know well without being uncomfortable about it. The tears in the cloth show that I am beginning to speak up more for myself. The top of the mask has my “circle of talents”. This includes a paintbrush, a man holding up pillars and a jester hat. I will go into each of these in more detail. One thing they have in common is that these are positive influences. While the earlier influence was in conflict with my true self, these are all positive ways I have been influenced by society. Art teachers, friends and family have all encouraged me to pursue art because I am good at it. This is represented with the paintbrush. My parents put me in an art school one summer when I was young. I didn’t want to be there because I didn’t know anyone. In the end, though, I made something that I was proud of at the time. It’s still framed and in my room. My parents also encouraged me to go to a glass shop and make a unique piece of art there. I won grand champion with that design at the county fair and it was 4th at the state fair. The man holding up pillars represents physical strength. Models on TV for products for men are always strong, lean men. I have been influenced by this (how could I not be), but I also like to work out to relieve stress and because I like the results. I regularly exercise at home. My favorite form of exercise is weight training. I also enjoy running when I feel adventurous. According to the National Institute of Health, an ideal body mass index (BMI) is between 18.5-24.9. My BMI is 19, so staying healthy is another benefit I get from exercising. The jester hat represents my sense of humor. From what I have seen on tv shows is that it’s good to be funny. A humorous person can relate better with more people. My sense of humor comes naturally, so when I try to be funny, it never seems as funny as when I just let it happen. Those are inside my “circle of talents” which surrounds my “third eye”. The third eye chakra, I have learned, is the gift of seeing deeper truth. This mindful perspective has been influenced by my mother. Almost every day on the way to school, my mom plays parts of a law of attraction workshop from Abraham Hicks through the car speakers. Although I never intentionally listen to it, I am sure it has influenced me subconsciously. This project helped me think about what has shaped me into the person I am. It was good to spend time contemplating the societal agents that affected me, and those that influence others. I enjoyed the creative process of making my mask. I hope that if I look at my mask a few years down the road it will remind me of the people who have been instrumental in influencing my life. |