Masking

This piece is a self-portrait entitled “masking”. It is mixed media (watercolours and ink) on paper. Masks are particularly central to the culture of the Caribbean and especially Trinidad in the context of carnival. Here it represents not only the tradition of masking as a form of resistance to colonialism but also my personal experience with ‘masking’ as an autistic person. Many afab autistic persons are diagnosed late or not at all because of their propensity to ‘mask’ or hide their autistic traits as a survival mechanism for living in a neurotypical world. For me, unlearning these coping mechanisms has helped me to become more true to myself and to love and embrace my autistic identity. Ironically, wearing and making masks for Carnival helped me to unmask myself by providing a layer of protection over my face so that I was free to be whoever I wanted without worrying about if my facial expressions might come across as unusual or unsettling.