What does it mean to perform humanity? Each model represents one archetypal emotion: Happiness/Infatuation, Anger/Destruction, Sadness/Isolation, Fear/Anxiety, and Hope/Longing. The sixth character, Mimic, is the culmination of these emotions and the central figure in an exploration of emotional presentation and social conventions. The ongoing clown motif throughout the series represents a fool-like play that happens when the pressure to conform is turned on its head. The masks limit the ability to be expressive and in combination with the makeup solidify the identity of the characters as only one thing, forever forced into a box. It also alludes to the idea of neurodivergent masking, in which a person “camouflages their natural personality or behavior to conform to social pressures”.

My ongoing experience in theatre performance and study has led to a fascination with the archetypal character. These characters appear in types of theatre, like Commedia dell’arte and British Pantomime. None of the characters are truly positive and happiness is coupled with infatuation, implying naivety. The piece is based on performance art, although the images themselves are staged, offering a stagnant resonance. Human/Inhuman is a piece that is almost entirely removed from reality, using heightened emotions and archetypal characters to reach a state of madness and wonder.