We all wear masks…some are beautiful, some are ugly, we change them depending on occasions or people we meet, but every mask is just another piece of who we are.
With this portrait I challeged myself to focus more on strokes than variety of techniques and brushes. I mainly used @jingsketch soft square render harmonic brush
This portrait is the darkest in the series, examining the internal malice that persists even when communication is restricted, illustrating that evil doesn't require a loud voice.
* Visual Focus: The mask's mouth is horrifyingly held closed across the center by surgical thread and a needle, which only covers half of the wide, unnerving smile. The stitching reveals a set of sharp, feral teeth underneath. Disturbingly, a pair of prominent horns protrude from the top of the mask's head.
* Symbolism:
* The Stitched Mouth: Represents the idea of selective silence or the censorship of truth. The fact that the stitching only covers half the mouth highlights the "half-done" nature of modern morality. The revealed sharp teeth suggest that even in silence, the capacity for vicious, cutting, or "devilish" speech remains barely contained. Showed directly on the piece by the date being misleading.
* The Horns: A classic, unambiguous symbol of the Devil or pure malice. This is the figure's core identity—it suggests that even while hiding behind a neutral mask and being partially silenced, the individual's "tongue like the devil" and evil intent are still very much present, emphasizing the inherent corruption and hypocrisy behind the facade.
This figure explores how the relentless pursuit of monetary gain and digital distraction stifles genuine attention and moral listening.
* Visual Focus: The mask is equipped with a headphone covering a single ear. The headphone wire is visibly broken, frayed, and cut short, suggesting a deliberate disconnect or a failed attempt at communication. A small coin dangles conspicuously from the corner of the figure's mouth.
* Symbolism:
* The Headphones: Represent modern distraction and the ability to selectively "tune out" inconvenient truths or moral calls. The broken, frayed wire reinforces the idea of a failed connection to the real world.
* The Coin in the Mouth: Serves as a powerful, visceral metaphor for being "consumed by monetary means." It connects the act of speaking/listening to the theme of greed, suggesting that the voice and ear are functionally "plugged" or corrupted by the all-consuming focus on wealth. The refusal to hear moral guidance is dictated by the pursuit of money.
"Mask Up" by Ty Tatmore (2024) is a powerful and unsettling piece of contemporary social commentary. This work throws the viewer into a scene of post-apocalyptic anxiety where an individual, wearing a striking conical hairdo and a defiant "MASK UP" t-shirt, sits amidst the wreckage of a dilapidated room.
The artist uses dark humor and surreal imagery to explore the cultural tensions surrounding public health mandates and personal responsibility. The sign "CHOOSE WISELY!!" acts as a stark warning, while symbols like the gas mask and the Scream mask and also wearing a mask suggest a spectrum of survival and fear. The massive explosion breaking through the window is a haunting, almost surreal symbol of the unstoppable outside forces impacting daily life.
With its raw, graphic style and intense atmosphere, this painting is a memorable and thought-provoking statement that captures the isolation, uncertainty, and dark irony of living through a moment of global crisis.
It’s taken me until the ripe old age of 33 to do a Jungle Book tribute, in spite of it being my all-time favourite film along with The Mask and Baloo the Bear (along with Donald Duck) my favourite Disney character but alas… better late to the party than not show up at all, am I right?
This piece critiques the modern tendency to hide identity behind brands and consumerism.
* Visual Focus: The mask is partially obscured by a fitted baseball cap, with the bill pulled down to cover one eye. The cap itself is a symbol of brand identity and fast-fashion culture. The uncovered eye retains an unsettling, almost mechanical gaze.
* Symbolism:
* The Cap: Represents the societal practice of hiding behind brands and allowing consumerism to dictate self-worth and block out unwanted truths. The act of seeing is deliberately curtailed.
* The Mask: Emphasizes that the consumer identity is often a façade-a manufactured mask that prevents others from truly
"seeing" the individual, while simultaneously restricting the individual's full sight of the world.
