The Mask, 2023
By Zak Krevitt and Spasi Sohrani

Expansive identity is nuanced, messy even. Emotion can overwhelm us or embolden us, twisting our personality, or defending our safety. We are trying on masks imbued with different purposes to navigate the world. What is the sense of self in all of this?

The ceature in this artwork manifested in an aggressive form, teeth bared and eyes trained wide. Is the monster attacking, or protecting? Are you wearing the mask, or observing it? Is this a private inward feeling, or a public display?

A physical mask by Spasi Sohrani, then we held a photo shoot w/ the mask, and finally, I created a custom AI model with the photos to arrive at this artwork.

This process was alchemical, a transference of energy across people, cultures, and dimensions.
We gave birth to a new being, a creature that could now inhabit an infinite number of invocations while retaining its core identity. Our creature begins its long journey here, as The Mask.