Visual Interpretation of The Displacement of the Face

In The Displacement of the Face I’ve decided to use a system inspired by the tree of life. The tree of life make use of the numbers 0-10 to represent the creation of the world right from the beginning when it came from a pure source of energy. The numbers 0-10 could be implemented into The Displacement of Face via coordinates. The coordinates represents the boundaries of the face where each element of the face could be moved around – distorting and abstracting it.

Found on thingsorganizedneatly.tumblr.com

An example of executing this would be having an installation piece on a peg board. Elements of the face could be scattered around, encouraging the audience to pick pieces and put them together via stacking them or changing their orientation.

Pieces / Lines / Elements

These are the pieces of hand draw elements that could evoke certain characteristics. Lines could emote different meanings from what I researched.

Thin lines are fragile. They appear easy to break or knock over. They suggest frailty and convey an elegant quality. They are delicate and give off an ephemeral air.

Thick lines on the other hand appear difficult to break. They suggest strength and give emphasis to nearby elements. Thick lines are bold and make a statement.

Horizontal lines are parallel to the horizon (hence the name). They look like they’re lying down, at rest, asleep. They suggest calm and quiet, a relaxed comfort.

Horizontal lines can’t fall over. They accentuate width. They’re stable and secure. The convey an absence of conflict, a restful peace. Horizontal lines by their connection to the horizon are associated with earth bound things and idea.

Vertical lines are perpendicular to the horizon. They are filled with potential energy that could be released if they were to fall over. Vertical lines are strong and rigid. They can suggest stability, especially when thicker. Vertical lines accentuate height and convey a lack of movement, which is usually seen as horizontal.

They stretch from the earth to the heavens and are often connected with religious feelings. Their tallness and formality may give the impression of dignity.

Diagonal lines are unbalanced. They are filled with restless and uncontrolled energy. They can appear to be either rising or falling and convey action and motion. Their kinetic energy and apparent movement create tension and excitement. Diagonal lines are more dramatic than either horizontal or vertical lines.

Diagonal lines can also appear solid and unmoving if they are holding something up or at rest against a vertical line or plane.

Curved lines are softer than straight lines. They sweep and turn gracefully between end points. They are less definite and predictable than straight lines. They bend, they change direction. Curved lines express fluid movement. They can be calm or dynamic depending on how much they curve. The less active the curve the calmer the feeling.

Zigzag lines are a combination of diagonal lines that connect at points. They take on the dynamic and high energy characteristics of diagonal lines. They create excitement and intense movement. They convey confusion and nervousness as they change direction quickly and frequently. They can imply danger and destruction as they break down.

– The Meaning of Different Kind of Lines

Visually Interpreting the Uses of Masks

One of the early uses of masks were that they represented the physical and metaphysical world. Visual interpretations of this use of the mask could play with clear distinctions to separate the two worlds or, how they could both intertwine and be contained on a single mask.

Visually Interpreting “Masks Transcending Time”

Holding on to the concept of Jung’s archetypes – a primal part of humans, ever present through various cycles of life, I am required to find a constant that does not change through time.

1. I decided to use the basic face shapes of humans as a basis / system to layer the elements of the masks on. These basic elements differ as the uses of mask differs too. My aim is to find visual representations for each use, by using visual metaphors which evokes the characteristics of the masks.

2. Above are examples of the treatment that I will be using, a lot of organic textures, hand drawn to give it a primal, basic feel that comes from using the hands to draw/make.

3. I am looking into how the pieces would contribute to the meaning / characteristic of the masks.