This wearable cardboard mask explores the tension between vulnerability, strength, brokenness, and healing. Inspired by the idea of “putting on a brave face,” I designed the mask as a geometric heart that appears shattered and imperfectly stitched back together.

Created entirely from cardboard, hot glue, and paint, the piece balances structure with chaos. Precisely measured geometric forms build the heart, while irregular cardboard stitches stretch across its seams, visibly holding each broken piece together. Shades of red and pink reference traditional symbols of love while emphasizing that the heart is made up of many individual fragments.

At its core, this piece is about what holds us together when we feel broken. In my own life, community has often acted as those stitches—sometimes messy and imperfect, but strong enough to keep the pieces together. What begins as a mask for concealing emotion ultimately becomes a symbol of healing: a reminder that being held together does not have to look perfect.