Clean

Clean is another term for cocaine, referring to this mask’s focus on drug and alcohol abuse. The clustering of quartz, vintage jewels, semi-precious stones and minerals is more expansive than the other masks in this series, obscuring most of the wearer’s face. This reflects the deterioration of one’s body as it is consumed by addiction. Tar was also applied to further exemplify the grimy nature of drug culture. 

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.