Tug at My Strings & Unravel Me

This mask deals with unfaithfulness, specifically referencing relationships shaped by infidelity. The work explores how the ingrained traumas of slavery distort Black males’ perceptions of monogamy. The large hole on the mask’s right side coupled with its vibrant red stones and coral  allude to a broken heart, while red strings dangling from the sculpture represent the struggle of dealing with romantic emotions as they are pulled to the surface. 

The He Loves Me Not collection subverts the form of an iron slave mask meant to mute its victim by reimagining a tool of enslavement as an object of protection. Each mask in this series explores trauma and healing processes for Black men while highlighting a particular gemstone for its restorative properties.