The masks we wear
‘The Masks that we wear’ is a series based about these students as they regain their resilience and begin to enter the adult world, having missed out on so many formative years of school.
The masks we wear
Surrounded by masks, kept in bubbles, unable to take exams and uncertainty over how they will be assessed, school trips and holidays cancelled, end of year parties postponed, students in the UK have missed out on a lot during the last 2 years resulting in many students are now reporting increased levels of unhappiness, social anxiety and depression. Anecdotal evidence from teachers, coupled with the recent results of more longer-term studies are showing an increasingly marked decline in students’ mental health, resilience and happiness levels coupled with youth mental health services (CAMHS) facing unprecedented demand there are fewer ways to tackle these issues. Many students report that they are now living their social life almost entirely online, shying away from socialising in person, attending events like festivals or going to parties. They acknowledge using social media as a ‘mask’ to protect themselves.
When studying self-portraiture and the ‘masked selfie’ photography students were given the opportunity to create a more personalised ‘mask’ out a range of random recycled materials and then pose for a portrait.