The mask I created expresses the contrast between the current state of our planet and its natural beauty. One side of it is black and symbolizes destroyed nature – the result of our behavior when we litter, recklessly construct new buildings, cut down trees, and gradually damage the environment. The other side of the mask represents the opposite pole – the beauty and value of nature, which we often fail to appreciate until we begin to lose it. A thread is tied around the nose, symbolizing oxygen. It suggests that through our actions we are slowly but surely making it harder for ourselves to breathe – as if we were binding our own ability to live freely. The mask is therefore a metaphor for the contemporary world and a call to realize that the future depends on the decisions we make today.
