The need for masks beyond fashion.
We have always seen wearing masks in countries far from us.
Especially in large polluted metropolises.
The mask as a system of protection against pollutants.
We were under the illusion that this was the only purpose of the masks and that they were an accessory to be used on trips to distant countries.
In this last year we have discussed many things in our lives, especially how to move in the world and human relationships.
In March 2020 it was necessary to wear them to avoid being infected by the covid and yet the advice was discordant.
Do not use them because they are not necessary, use the masks because they are absolutely necessary. Avoid wearing them for too long.
And if you use masks, which ones to use?
Because some are specific for doctors, others for ordinary people.
In short, so much confusion and the doubt whether to use them or not.
The real problem was that they were not found in pharmacies, supermarkets. If you ordered them online they had absurd costs.
In March we became aware that the mask was necessary.
Finally we started to produce them also in Italy and the costs were lowered.
Everything seemed to be solved but we did not take into account that people began to see the mask as a political object.
In America, wearing it meant being a Democrat, while a Republican did not wear it.
Nothing further from reality, since the mask is useful to anyone of any political color.
“The web has begun to produce fake news. The masks are dangerous because you breathe your own bacteria, the masks are harmful because you breathe carbon dioxide.
Finally, masks deprive you of your identity and freedom.”
The mask becomes a social symbol of rebellion, instead of being an important object to avoid contagion.
So the masks were worn where it was mandatory to do so, in the most absurd ways.
Under the nose, hung on one ear, under the chin, tied to the wrist, turned on the nape of the neck, placed on the forehead.
A truly ironic fashion show that, however, did not shelter anyone from the transmission of the virus.
To think that in Japan they have been used quietly for years, they are a fashion trend.
It is not important to smile with your mouth but with your eyes. There are even beauty contests of girls with masks.
There is a Japanese term “masuku bijin” which means masked beauty and it means a female beauty accentuated by the mask.
Maybe we are further behind than the Japanese?
Perhaps it is their discipline greater than ours, the fact is that the usual use of masks worn well on the face, has meant that along with other measures there were fewer deaths of covid than in other countries.
It is interesting to know that in Japan there are certain rituals unknown to us.
For example, in ancient times the Japanese, in order not to pollute rites and religious festivals, covered their mouths with paper and leaves to avoid contaminating the environment with their breath.
The miners, bricklayers and workers wore gauze masks with a filter made of copper wires inside.
The Spanish flu of 1918 only expanded the use of the gauze mask, which had already become a common accessory for the Japanese.
Until SARS in 2003, which finally cleared the mask in Japan and many Asian countries.
Our culture is now coming to the masks but we are still far from using it with ease.
I thought of creating some of them myself, and I have relied on a company that produces them with an inner pocket that can contain a filter that needs changing.
The company supplies me with seven filters that are in the mask packaging.
Of course we are tired of black or white masks and we start using them with drawings, phrases, messages.
If the smile is covered, then it is better that the face says something.
My masks have original designs of my works and are limited edition.
At the moment I have only experimented with two drawings but I am waiting to print two more drawings soon.
I use them constantly and I am conscious that they are indispensable now and even when we will have the vaccine everyone.
We must protect ourselves and also others. The air transmission is still very strong.
But to avoid sadness, it is better to look for colors and shapes that make us feel more cheerful.
Not least, last spring when we were in lockdown, the few times I went out shopping, for the first time pollen did not bother me as usual.
We try to take the best from the Japanese and think of the mask as a useful, indispensable and even beautiful accessory.
The Taoism practiced in Eastern countries tells us that breathing is fundamental for the health of the body.
Exposure to polluted air lowers our energy, our KI.
Ki, translated in simple words, is the “life force“.
To prevent our Ki from leaving us, it is better to cover your face.
Here is the importance of breathing, protagonist in every kind of meditation.
So isn’t it important that we breathe well and above all clean air?
Seen in this perspective, the mask becomes indispensable to our health.
I wear it and I am convinced that it is important. And you?
If you want to see my limited edition of Masks, click on the image:
Click on the image above.
