Masks, Between Fiction and Reality Since the very beginning of this series, I have been fascinated by the symbolism of masks. Throughout history, masks have served as tools of transformation. On stage, they allow actors to embody multiple identities, hiding their real faces to give life to others. In our daily lives, we do something very similar. We wear invisible masks to fit in, to avoid discomfort, to persuade, or to navigate through complex social moments. As I worked on these paintings, I kept returning to this tension between who we are and who we present to the world. The mask becomes a boundary, sometimes protective, sometimes deceptive. It allows us to shape how others see us, but in doing so, it also creates distance from our truest selves. This series is my way of exploring that duality. Each piece becomes a quiet conversation between authenticity and representation, between truth and appearance. The figures I paint often stand alone, caught in introspective moments wh...