Ruby Dean

"Threads of Becoming: Masks of the Unseen Self" features 36 crocheted masks accompanied by a video in which I wear each one in succession. Initially, the series explored masks as tools of transformation and concealment-objects that create new identities while obscuring the wearer's. Over time, it became a deeply personal reflection on my struggles with identity.

Having lived a life of constant movement and instability, I often feel fragmented, as if parts of myself were left behind in the places I've inhabited. These masks represent those fragments-different personas I've adopted to adapt, belong, or survive. Each iteration reflects an evolving self shaped by shifting environments.

Wearing the masks in the video is a way to reconcile these fragmented identities, examining how we all navigate our sense of self in relation to others and the world. The intricate crochet process mirrors the laborious, ongoing work of constructing identity. Yet, even with these masks, the true self remains elusive, always in flux.

This work explores the complexity of identity-how it's molded, worn, and understood, yet never fixed. The masks symbolize the layered, evolving journey toward self-understanding and belonging.