Ben Rak
Ben Rak
The masks I wear to pass 2020
screenprint on unstretched canvas; unique print
Courtesy of the artist
Artist statement:
The masks I wear to pass is an attempt to shed light on the ways in which people (including myself) conceal or reveal themselves in order to gain visibility, avoid marginalisation, and enjoy the privileges afforded to dominant groups. I use the print process as a metaphor for otherness, drawing parallels between art practice and social interaction.
The aim of this work is to explore the act of passing and its shadow, and the ‘sincere’ self in social life and art practice. I use the print medium to examine the agency of mutable identity—investigating how the material language of the print can be combined with content to mask or reveal the work’s artistic identity (as either a print or a painting). This work attempts to shed light on the social and psychological experience of passing, as well as demonstrate links between artistic practice and lived experience.