OTIS: Hazel's blog on Thread, Fashion and Costume: Mulyana

Thread, Fashion and Costume: Mulyana:   

"Masks and costumes are seminal expressions in many folkloric traditions and can signify important cultural moments: heroic acts, define religious celebrations, channel spirits, or provide entertainment. Masks in particular are a metaphor for the facades we construct to conceal the ‘true self’ from our neighbors. For Mulyana the impulse behind the Adikara and Nayanika costumed figure installations, are intended to represent the opposite—for him, these avatars more accurately embody his personality than the Mogus characters are able to achieve. These figurative tableaus speak to the universal struggle of becoming comfortable in one's own skin and resonate profoundly as we grapple with this unprecedented era of isolation and uncertainty." Mulyana