Mehak Jindal

This work captures the essence of human duality and the complexities of mental health in today’s society. The human with the back to the viewer is encapsulated in an array of masks each bearing distinct facial expressions. This imagery delves deep into the concept of “masking,” an existential dilemma where individuals, knowingly or unknowingly, wear various masks to navigate social landscapes.

The masks surrounding the girl in the sketch are symbolic of the various roles and emotional states we juggle daily. They serve as metaphors for joy, sorrow, indifference, and myriad other emotions we display, often as a societal obligation rather than a true representation of our mental state. We put on the mask of joy at social gatherings, the mask of professionalism at work, and sometimes, the mask of indifference to shield our vulnerabilities. The hidden face raises a pertinent question: What’s happening behind the mask? Often, it’s a realm of hidden struggles, anxieties, and sometimes, unspoken agony.

What if there is no one definitive “true self”? What if we are, in fact, a culmination of all these masks, ever-changing and ever-evolving? The back-facing posture emphasises this anonymity and the universal relevance of the issue. It could be anyone under those masks; it could be everyone.

Moreover, the societal construct forces these masks upon us. The world expects us to behave in a certain way, to fit within pre-defined categories, often dismissing the uniqueness of individual experiences and the fluidity of human emotions. By doing so, society not only trivializes mental health struggles but also perpetuates the damaging idea that emotional expression is a sign of weakness.

This artwork serves as a poignant reminder that the journey towards authentic mental health is tangled in the webs of societal expectations and self-imposed limitations. It beckons the viewer to confront these unsettling truths and initiates a dialogue about the importance of mental health awareness in dismantling the harmful practice of emotional masking.