Ziyang Xu
Cultural Mask
Class of: 2027
Major: Interior Design BFA
Medium: Wire, Yarn, Pipe Cleaner
Faculty: Aviva Maya Shulem
Prompt: Craft a 3D wearable mask inspired by an ancient culture that incorporates historical references into a contemporary masterpiece that reflects your interpretation of beauty.
The culture for the mask I chose is the Ming Dynasty, a glorious period in Chinese history with a unique historical, cultural, and social ambiance of the country. For me, the Ming Dynasty was an era of vigor and creativity that was impressive in many ways. The mask uses Ming Dynesty’s prosperous and flourishing as start point and conception. We can see the lines are all toward the sky, which means Ming Dynasty growth, which brings lots of profits. For the decoration, I choose traditional flowers as the basic model. There are plum blossoms, peonies, daffodils, and some tiny flowers that serve as a prop. I’m honored that I can bring out the greatness of the Ming Dynasty. In the project, I got more familiar with the wire utilization. Meanwhile, I got to know the variety of other materials, and the collaboration of different materials related together.