I wanted to include masks in my project because of how pivotal they were/are throughout the pandemic. I wanted to show how masks began to overtake our lives and become a part of our daily accessories and even make up our identity. For the photograph, I attached a handful of masks to a shelf in my bedroom that is full of knick knacks that are important to me. To me, it meant that masks were overtaking every bit of our lives. We constantly had to make sure we had a mask in our wallet, backpack, purse, car, pocket, etc. At the end of the day, masks would be thrown on tables, and nightstands waiting to be picked up the next day. The idea of these masks wrapping around my shelf meant that they were the only thing my mind could focus on, and I felt trapped. I used the phrase "It's all in the eyes" to represent how our identity became strictly focused on our eyes. Our eyes were also the only form of "contact" for a while, especially at schools and offices. Rather than being able to read facial expressions, we all had to start learning how to only read someone's eyes.
I decided to give everything a blurred effect because it makes me feel a little uneasy. It resembles my feelings - and I'm sure other people's feelings - toward everything that has to do with the pandemic.
