Mask, disguise, masquerade
Costume, character, play
Self, identity, persona

These are key aspects I am exploring within my artistic practice. It is my hope to explore and improve my understanding of the concept of ‘self’ through deconstructing and reconstructing those elements that make up a person’s identity.

If clothes are nothing more than social costumes, and make-up social masks, then what happens if these are altered? Where does the ‘original self’ exist? Can it even continue to live when it is masked? How far can we push ourselves in masquerade before it ceases to exist, and our original self is transmogrified into the alien other? How far is it possible to alter our own personal costume and masks before all self recognition is lost?

In my work I use costume, makeup and photography to try to capture different characters and personality, often drawing upon stereotypes to assist the character creation, and to disrupt the assumed meaning of self and gender. Playing upon physical misrecognition as well as suggested narrative between characters, I create fictional scenarios where the self is presented with its own masquerade and where masquerade clashes with masquerade.