To start the BeMask’d blog exhibition, I selected the mask that is the inspiration behind the concept. Magpie was created as an artistic response to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, beginning a creative exploration of mask designs. Echoing the centuries-old Plague Doctor mask silhouette, Magpie‘s aesthetic design marries serious symbolism with play – a direct reaction as artistic response to the gravity of the pandemic and the increased emphasis on the importance of face masks.
Mask Composition
The mask is built on a neoprene base, lined in black stretch fabric, and has a holographic metallic spandex cover embellished with teardrop paillettes and crystal rhinestones.
The heart-shaped eyes are backed with iridescent vinyl and outlines in rhinestones. The mask affixes to the head via removable, adjustable elastic strap. The hat is designed to mimic an exaggerated captain’s hat silhouette, covered in holographic metallic spandex, and embellished with jewelry pieces and glass mirrors.
Aesthetic Inspiration
The aesthetic inspiration for the Magpie mask and hat is a jacket I made for New Year’s Eve in 2019. The jacket is created from black mesh covered in holographic teardrop-shaped paillettes, lined in holographic organza with removable black feather and silver tinsel trim at the neck and front opening. Pockets in the side seams were included for functionality to eliminate the need to carry a purse. The jacket was paired with a black jumpsuit and mirror-tiled platform boots.
Evolution of a Look
The Holo Jacket was worn to the Electric Daisy Carnival in Las Vegas, NV 2019. The original aesthetic ensemble of a black base outfit was embellished with a jeweled light-up headpiece and silver bead and sequin embellishments, as pictured above and to the right. This iteration of the look introduced the use of silver jeweled accessories in conversation with the holographic look of the jacket, particularly emphasized at night under multi-colored, indirect lighting. These visual texture experiments and aesthetics ultimately informed the look of the Magpie mask and hat.
Magpie manifests
The Plague Doctor styling of the Magpie mask was patterned with an extended beak and originally featured circular eye openings that were later modified to a heart shape. Iterations of the mask embellishments were shown to other practicing artists and designers for critique and feedback. It was decided to make the hat as a complement to the mask, inspired by the original Plague Doctor’s use of hats but with an updated silhouette.
The Process images above show the Magpie mask at varying stages of completion including the neoprene mask base, a test of mirror tile placement on the hat, and the necessary addition of breathing holes to the underside of the mask’s beak.
Final Design Details
This project is funded in part by the Cornell Council for the Arts. 