This project is inspired by traditional Chinese opera masks and the complexities of social identity in modern society.
As people adopt different “masks” to fit into various communities, issues around identity and self-perception become more visible.
Through the design of masks and facial makeup, the work reflects on how external appearances shape — and sometimes obscure — who we are.
In the early research phase, various methods were explored to imitate the shape and structure of opera masks , including modeling and paper cutting —in search of the most engaging way to reconstruct them.
Twisting, folding, cutting — each gesture echoed the ways in which we reshape and reconstruct ourselves.
To explore how people alter their identity and personality to fit into different communities, I turned to materials that are sensitive to their environment.
Inspired by this idea, I experimented with photochromic pigment and resin, blending them to create a moldable material that changes color in response to light.
This transformation mirrors the way identity can shift — subtly, continuously — under external influence.
