Behind the Masks

By Lin Liu, BFA, DVATI
Regina, SK

The global pandemic brought me home. During the COVID-19 outbreak, I felt the urge to connect myself with front-line workers through making masks. It is my deepest gratitude and appreciation for their hard work.

Making masks reveals my under-layer of  pain and despair. I am not a great tailor but I can sew. My intention was to help the urgent needs for masks in hospitals or communities.  

During preparation and sewing, I saw myself go back to the memory of my mom, who had passed away. My mother was a great traditional dress tailor but I did not have a chance to learn from her. While I was cutting fabric for the masks, I felt a moment of connection with my mother. The sense of protection from the masks became symbolic of my mother’s care. We reconnected through making masks. Each stitch brought me to deep memories and longing for her to be with me. 

From inside, I looked outside through my window and felt safe. A home is like a mask. I am very grateful to have this protection to support me. I realized making masks is not only helping others but also myself. The truth behind making masks is helping me to go inside and reconnected with my own sorrow. The whole process was unexpected; yet it was very precious for me.

I choose to use the trims of the thread from the masks to reflect my chaotic feelings stemming from the pandemic in the external world and grief in my internal world. I placed the images on the window to represent its links between outside and inside. Mostly I am still looking out but staying in.