Lace Armour Jewellery Mask
(2021. Sterling Silver, 14x14x16cm)

I was interested to observe how people’s masking habits were changing over the pandemic, noticing the expressive patterns, political messages and different styles and structures people chose to adopt. I wanted to make a piece which was an evolution from the protective mask into jewellery. I imagined a post-pandemic life where our current masking habits have continued through many iterations until they have become a totally new accessory. My Lace-Armour fabric hangs from a spectacles style frame. It could be used either as a cover for a functional fabric mask, or as a standalone statement jewellery piece. It will always reference the masking habits we have formed today in a lasting legacy of sterling silver.

This piece features my signature Lace-Armour, a material I craft from chainmail to create feminine lace patterns from this masculine material. By combining these different characteristics into one object, I want to express how people can cross between the expectations of imposed binary categories of gender. I advocate for a more nuanced understanding of people and their identities.