Mirrored Masaku Tony Maake
Mirrored
by Masaku Tony Maake
Mirrored converts the reflections of people I know into a place of confrontation and metamorphosis. Using the delicate medium of laser-engraved mirrors, I explore the intricacies of Body Dysmorphia and how it affects female bodies, bodies that are frequently examined, dismantled and turned into assets by the norms of society. Not only does each Mirror reflect a face or figure, but it also reflects an experience highlighted by light and shadow, making each distinctive part more noticeable.
The suspended frames contain a series of individualised portraits of seven different models, each of them with self-diagnosed Body Dysmorphic Disorder. Their titles hint at the anxiety experienced by the models in relation to their own reflected bodies: The Fragile Frame highlights the vulnerability one might feel due to being thin, The Cracked Smile speaks to a discomfort with crooked teeth creating a smile that has been physically broken, and The Freckled Veil is like a veil that conceals and yet shows a deeper layer of identity. Cramped toes speak through The Twisted Dance, as it captures the pain and endurance of a ballet dancer, focusing on the toll their art takes on their body. Vitiligo is The Streaked Canvas, where the body tells its story of change, reflecting both beauty and the struggle of living with visible differences. Scars weave The Etched Memory as each scar is a chapter in the story of surviving illnesses, while keloids and pimples make The Marked Terrain, describing the skin as a landscape marked by imperfections with raised, textured scars and blemishes.
This exhibition interrogates beauty standards, the tension between self-perception, societal judgment, and the distorted self. I document these instances of internalised examination with photography and light manipulation, letting the mirror enhance the story. My method creates a play of light, broken pictures, refined details, and a message that forces the observer to look in the mirror and to face their own reflection.
