The Maskeriti Series

“During 2020 to 2022 I created a series of portraits of people I refer to as Maskeriti - to comment on issues of self-awareness and identity. The relationship or connection between the mask-like aesthetic and the “wearer” of this “facade” was central to my discourse. I referred to them as, Maskeriti: a people that feel intrinsically linked to their outward appearance, that feel naked without their masks.

My work is not an attempt to separate the person from the masks they wear. Instead I investigate the concept of the mask and it’s role as the perceived representation or projection of a person.

In a society that deals with a global pandemic and health, the role of the mask has become a symbol of hope. Yet, in an age where social media and technology keeps us connected, the appearances we project unto the world become more disconnected, more mask-like

Our curiosities, however, want us to peek behind the curtain and see the true version of ourselves and others. We long for meaning and depth and truth. But fear keep the Maskeriti hidden behind the veneer of values and beliefs subconsciously projected by themselves unto those around them. They end up too afraid to be their true selves, and they have only themselves to blame.”

Marco John Versfeld
Lincoln, New Zealand
2023