CONTEXTUAL STUDIES
PRESENTATION
Final Major Project: Contextual Essay
HIDDEN BEHIND A MASK
Covid-19: The impact of the pandemic
With a world that finds themselves amidst a global health disaster experiencing the effects of self-isolation and illness, many are finding themselves in crisis. With enforced lockdowns, isolation and restriction of social interaction triggering or exacerbating existing mental health disorders, we find the psychological consequences of the COVID pandemic prominent within society. Prolonged periods of isolation inevitably has psychological impacts; we are hard-wired for social interaction and communication, thus caging the social animal will with out a doubt impact our emotional state. Having taken an interest in psychology and emotion, I am particularly fascinated whether we can accurately represent these through the means of drawing. My work mainly focuses around the power of facial expressions, yet for my final major project I have been drawn to the idea of concealing emotions and hiding how we feel.
Starting the project during lockdown inspired my ideas and thought processes therefore I have primarily focused my project on the COVID-19 pandemic, drawing upon aspects of isolation and how I can effectively illustrate this through drawing. Exploring the symbolism of face masks and the power of light and dark, my aim is to effectively capture the current issue, isolating a figure and consider the psychological impact, not just from the pandemic itself but from a piece of art. Ultimately questioning how, if so, this can successfully be achieved. Having already produced a presentation exploring my initial thoughts and ideas, my intention for this essay is to further my research, exploring artists and techniques to inform and inspire my development and intentions for this project.
Reflecting on the social context of the pandemic, I was inspired by the current restrictions enforced and their impact. Isolation refers to the process or fact of isolating or being isolated, caused by political, biological or geographical cause; in this case the biological cause of coronavirus. Being withdrawn from society will ultimately effect everyone differently. I was inspired by the unique characteristics of the human condition, referring to the ‘characteristics and events that compose essentials of human existence’. I wanted to focus of emotionality and the inevitability of isolation. ‘Solitude breeds anxiety’ (Eric Kim). Isolation leaves us sad, depressed, lonely and despondent, all of which are observable behaviours in response to a stimulus; this being quarantine. I aimed to explore how we can effectively illustrate these through facial expressions, secluding a figure, the symbolism of masks or the intensity of light and shadow.
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Masks appear to be the new face of normality and ultimately and emblem of this pandemic. I began to question how they influence our communication of emotion and the deeper meaning and message they may convey. Originally, we would associate a mask with medical grounds, providing protection and care for those in this profession, symbolic of health and illness. Yet, now with their presence in everyday life its questionable how far you can symbolise a mask to just health-workers or with their everyday use in public spaces. “A mask can be a symbol of something much deeper that it reads on the surface and is perhaps more revealing than concealing” I wanted to question what message a face mask would portray if the COVID pandemic did not occur. What would be the meaning behind a portrait with a face mask if we didn’t have to wear them the majority of the time? Wearing or choosing not to wear a mask can be an ‘expression of resistance, defiance’ (David Abrahams, 2020) or unity. It suggests a concealment or disguise of our true expressions. By covering our mouth it suggest a lack of freedom of speech; we are reduced to only showing emotion with our eyes and are prevented in expressing our true emotions.
Many artists during the pandemic have taken inspiration and incorporated the use of face masks within their work, exploring the hidden meanings and created work relevant to the issue society is facing.
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Cath Riley’s portraiture incorporating the use of a face mask reflects that of todays climate. Her hyperrealistic graphite drawings emphasise the sense of realism. The subject is symbolic of the current restrictive measures in society allowing us to empathise with the figure. Riley’s soft lighting and subtle contrast between the highlights and shadows creates a softness to her portraits. It is suggestive of a sense of fragility to the human condition. She only captures small portions of the face, isolating the most important features in revealing and expressions our emotions. We have become more reliant on communicating and recognising emotion through eyes. The subjects gaze becomes the most important feature.
Cath Riley, 2021 [online] Available at: http://cathriley.com/quotes.php [Accessed 3 April]
Photographer Katherine Taylor was provided with the challenge of Covid restrictions and isolation with her career in the creative industry. She developed a project ‘Masks of Boston’ to explore the emotional impact the pandemic has had on a wide variety of people. She proposed the question ‘Who do you wear a mask for?’ and gave Boston civilians the opportunity to express their personal experiences. By proposing the question to the subjects, it allowed them to express their fear, uncertainty and emotional toll the past year has had on them, enabling them to reflect on the complexities they have been faced with. Taylor suggested “ the safety measures now in place may be restricted, but at the same time the can instill in every individual a positive sense of community connection that provides a unique opportunity for people to empathise more deeply with one another, especially since we may not be in the same boat we are all in the same storm” (Katherine Taylor, 2020). The face mask is therefore symbolic of community and protection of each other, both of which needed in the fight against this unseen enemy. She aims to connect each other as well as creating a deeper, more personal connection to the subject and the photographs. You don’t know what others have gone through until you ask the question. Her work allows her subjects to express their emotion, which might not be able to be read on the surfaces in fact behind a mask. Are face masks preventing us from exposing our true feelings?
Taylor’s work at first glance captures a subject isolated within the darkness wearing a face mask, yet researching deeper into the images you gain a greater understanding and deeper connection to the figure, revealing their vulnerability and fears in response to the pandemic. It creates an awareness to the influence isolation has on individuals, exploring their opinions on why they wear a mask. From protecting others to experiencing racial inequality, it is striking how these masks are influencing people lives and opinions. We are all unique and experience everything differently, evident within the stories communicated through Taylor’s work. I was particularly drawn to the the influence of light and dark and questioned how this influences the atmosphere created. Darkness can be a symbolism of isolation, being withdrawn from society and everything around them. By simply isolating a figure within the darkness we focus our attention purely on the subject, there expressions and body language. This focus point intensifies the subjects vulnerability, exposing how they are feeling. The lighting and dark background I believe is the most effective and important feature of her work. The high contrast created puts the figure as the centre of attention, highlighting their emotional state. The power of photography captures the true state of the figure, capturing the authenticity of the emotions; unlike a drawing or painting, nothing can be manipulated by the eyes of an artist. I would like to adapt her style of work to produce my own photographs to work from, experimenting with the impact of lighting to produce a series of drawings from them. I aim to apply this research and concept to my own project to drive the development of my final major project
I intend to explore upon the concept of chiaroscuro. From the influence of Taylors work, I aimed to research how I could adapt her stye and the manipulation of lighting to my own practical work. Chiaroscuro is ‘an Italian term which translates as light-dark and refers to the balance and pattern of light and shade in a painting or drawing’ (Tate) This technique was commonly used within the renaissance period. Renowned artists like Caravaggio and Rembrandt pioneered this concept through their work, with their paintings using the concept of dramatic lighting to create three-dimensional feel to their work, with a reflection of real-life. Their main intention was to emphasise drama and emotional intensity with high contrast to help build tension. The black background isolates the figure. The influence of light and shadows creates a dramatic effect enhancing the subject, thus heightening the impact of an image. The strong highlights and deep shadow creates a high contrast emphasising the influence light and shadow has within an image. This contrast allows the figure to be isolated in the darkness, creating a sense of vulnerability and the darkness alluding to the idea of isolation. I would like to adapt this to my primary research of collecting images and aim to see if this technique can be effectively drawn within portraiture.
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Portraiture originally was the only way to record appearance, however the have always been more than just a record. ‘They have been used to show the power, importance, virtue, beauty, wealth, and other qualities of the sitter’ (Tate) Portraits can communicate something deep inside somebody, revealing their emotions and how they feel. Facial expressions can reveal a story, feeling and message all of which creating a connection between subject and viewer. I aim to combine the concept of hyperrealism and portraiture to accurately represent reality, with intense definition and sharpness ‘turning reality into an illusion’. ‘In an era of misleading advertising and falsehoods like airbrushing, it follows that consumers will show their concern and appreciation for realism in everything they do and see’ (Plus one Gallery) with hyperrealistic artists creating new stimulated versions of reality. They intend to create mood and emotion which we can relate too, inserting ‘narration and feelings’ into their work. Drawing is one of the oldest forms of human expression, creativity and communication. Throughout the course, I questioned can you show emotion through drawing? My intention for my final major project is to explore if I can successfully capture the emotional toll of isolation through the means of drawing. I am particularly drawn to the concept of hyperrealistic drawings and intend on research this art style to adapt to my own practise for this project. Hyperrealism only has roots as far back as late 1960s to early 1970s. Artists who specialise in this technique aim to capture the finest details and precision to accurately convey real life. By doing so they can capture individuals raw, authentic emotions suggesting there will always be a deeper meaning and story reflecting real life.
Dirk Dzmirsky’s work is incredible in its hyperrealistic style. With his keen eye for detail and ‘carefully elaborated stagings of light and shadow’ he reveals the ‘sensitivity and vulnerability of his model’s’. His meticulous level of detail in combination with ‘calculated set of light creates an enigmatic mood of melancholic beauty’ ( Dzmirsky) in his images. The highly detailed portraits exaggerate reality, capturing the raw emotions of his sitter. His graphite portraits capture each wrinkle and flaw, emphasising the beauty and delicacy of the human condition. The intricate mark making and accuracy toward light and shadow capture the emotion of the sitter. His use of dark backgrounds isolates his figure, creating tension and enhances the emotional state. By capturing the light in the eyes, he captures the vulnerability and sadness of the figure. By adapting this concept to my ideas to my project, face masks reduce our communication of emotion purely down to our eyes and our gaze. I aim to explore how this can manipulate the emotion we communicate across when our expressions are simply reduced down to this facial feature.
Dzimirsky, D., 2021. Dirk Dzimirsky - Hyperrealism. [online] Dzimirsky.com. Available at: [Accessed 3 April 2021].
Following the same style, Paul Cadden’s virtual exhibition at the Piper explored the artists hyperrealistic pencil drawings, presenting accurate representations of reality. He ‘incorporates ‘emotional, social, cultural and political thematic elements’ (Paul Cadden). The artist ‘ explores the mystery of identity and how we connect to one and other’. His accuracy to the finest details and ‘intensification of the normal’ captures the subjects vulnerability, with the sense of realism giving the viewer ‘ a new emotional perspective’ allowing us to empathise with the figure. His pencil drawings on paper highlight the delicacy and fragility, exploring the gaze of the subject and their emotion. I aim to adapt his style and medium to my own work for my FMP, producing hyperrealistic pencil drawings to explore my chosen theme. I also intend on adapting the idea of presenting my work in an exhibition space. Paul Cadden at the Piper presents Caddens hyperrealistic portraits. I would like to adapt this to my own project, questioning the impact of how presenting my work within a space could impact the message behind my work.
Plus One Gallery. 2021. Paul Cadden at the Piper. [online] Available at: <https://www.plusonegallery.com/exhibitions/126/> [Accessed 3 April 2021]
Tate. 2020. Making Art in Isolation – Talking Point | Tate. [online] Available at: <https://www.tate.org.uk/art/talking-point/making-art-isolation> [Accessed 3 April 2021].
The creative industry has taken a hit during this pandemic. I researched the Tates collection of ‘making art in Isolation’ to explore the impact it has had on artists. I wanted to adapt this research to fuel my ideas for my FMP. Many ‘struggle with finding inspiration with the slowness isolation brings’, finding their subject material and ideas from their surroundings and facing limitations with materials and studio space. I have chosen to take inspiration from the use of face masks which now are a necessity to our routine.
It is striking how isolation ‘effects people physically and mentally’, feeling the frustration and strain on our mental health. People have had to adapt to the situation due to this disruption to our daily lives. Many artists have engaged with their ‘personal struggle’ and lockdown has given them the opportunity to reflect. Being withdrawn from the normalities of society, ‘life has slowed down’. Aiming to document the feeling of soliitude and feeling the ‘pressure to be creative in crisis’ (Tate), artist Agnes Martin produced work in reflection to here feelings of loneliness when she went away for a few years due to the effects of her mental health. It provided her with the time to reflect and recover. Her work, a simplistic, white painting, expresses the feeling of being alone. The single use of the colour white expresses the emptiness and loneliness of isolation. The lack of colour emphasises the cold nature and emotionless state, with the lack of a subject matter implying not only a lack of inspiration, yet enhances this feeling of being alone and empty. I want to adapt this concept of a reduced colour palette, simply using tonal pencil drawings to help express my concept across.
Inevitably, lockdown and the COVID-19 pandemic has had drastic influences on every individual. By researching artwork and artists who have engaged in the current situation within their work and exploring the communication of emotions and how these have been hindered by the use of face masks, this essay has aided my research and allowed me to explore the context behind my chosen theme. It has given me the opportunity to question the deeper meaning behind a mask and the influence of isolation, as well as providing me with deeper knowledge on the techniques and methods used to aid the development of my project and production of my practical work.
I have primarily focused my practical work on producing hyperrealistic portrait drawings. I aimed to explore how to successfully capture the details of a figure through graphite and pencil drawings as well as experimenting how size and methods of presenting my work can play a role in the impact created. Exploring Paul Cadden’s work and exhibition space, I was able to apply this research and curate a virtual exhibition to present my drawings. By doing so, this has since altered my perspective of presenting my work on a wall space and larger scale. I particularly like he idea of larger scaled drawings and since completing an A1 drawing it has allowed my to capture the finer, more intricate details on an individual. By exploring the work of these artists above and how they have been influenced by this pandemic, I wanted to reflect this research in my own practise and development of this project. I felt face masks play a pivotal role in todays society so it felt relevant to incorporate them to help depict the pandemic and the influence it has on everyone around me. By researching their deeper meaning and exploring techniques to produce my work, masks have become an emblem of the issues in society and help play an important role in expressing my ideas across for my FMP. I wanted to capture the impact on our communication of emotion and our facial expressions and whether I can successfully capture the strain this pandemic has had on our mental health. By producing these portraits, I have found the gaze of an individual and our body language play and important role in presenting this concept across within my drawings. Hyperrealism and my aim to express high levels of detail and accuracy allowed me to achieve a greater reflection of reality and our emotions to help illustrate the emotional toll of lockdown and isolation on an individual. My work is relevant to the current societal issues and this research essay has furthered my knowledge into the context and impact covid has played on others, as well as providing me with artist research and techniques which i have been able to adapt to my practical work to help express my chosen theme to an audience.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
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Cath Riley, 2021 [online] Available at: http://cathriley.com/quotes.php [Accessed 3 April]
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Dzimirsky, D., 2021. Dirk Dzimirsky - Hyperrealism. [online] Dzimirsky.com. Available at: [Accessed 3 April 2021].
ERIC KIM. 2021. Street Photography and The Human Condition. [online] Available at: <https://erickimphotography.com/blog/2014/11/01/street-photography-human-condition/> [Accessed 2 May 2021].
Publichealth.nyu.edu. 2021. The Hidden Meanings of Wearing a Mask | NYU School of Global Public Health. [online] Available at: <https://publichealth.nyu.edu/events-news/news/2020/05/08/hidden-meanings-wearing-mask> [Accessed 2 May 2021].
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Plus One Gallery. 2021. A Brief History of Hyperrealism. [online] Available at: <https://www.plusonegallery.com/blog/28/> [Accessed 3 April 2021].
Plus One Gallery. 2021. Paul Cadden at the Piper. [online] Available at: <https://www.plusonegallery.com/exhibitions/126/> [Accessed 3 April 2021]
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Tate. 2020. Making Art in Isolation – Talking Point | Tate. [online] Available at: <https://www.tate.org.uk/art/talking-point/making-art-isolation> [Accessed 3 April 2021].
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Wbur.org. 2021. A Somerville Photographer Captures Emotional Impact Of COVID-19 In Portrait Series. [online] Available at: [Accessed 3 April 2021].
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