The first thing that represents my identity is my being Coptic Orthodox Christian. It is the most important thing in my life. That is why it took up the most space on my mask-the entire forehead. The left side of the forehead represents the hymns part of the church, featuring traditional coptic instruments such as the cymbals and the triangle, the middle is the core- the cross, and the left is the coptic part- being Egyptian.
The next part of my mask includes a dolphin and a swimmer featured on the left cheek of the mask. This represents my connection to the College of Staten Island as a swimmer. Additionally, the right cheek of the mask reveals my strong ties to my family and our love for road trips and travelling. Lastly, the bottom of my mask-the chin- represents my future aspirations and my goals. I hope to become a doctor one day as portrayed by the stethoscope and DNA strand.
When I was making my mask I tried to think of things that were unique to me. I have never really thought of my identity deeply before, I just live my life! When I was assigned to think about it and represent it using an identity mask, my critical thinking skills were put to the test. The first thing that represents my identity is my being Coptic Orthodox Christian. It is the most important thing in my life. New York is diversity central. It is full of different cultures, nationalities, and traditions. Being Coptic Orthodox just adds to that diversity. Many artists choose to represent their heritage in their art, and I chose to do the same.
In addition, the bottom of my mask-the chin- represents my future aspirations and my goals. I believe that this also connects to the role of art in the lives of the community as many people use art to express their dreams, whether for themselves, for others, or for society as a whole.
Overall, this mask helped me to better understand the role of art in my life. It helped me to express the different aspects of myself that make me unique and I am just one of millions of unique puzzle pieces that make the picture of New York.
