jase king

— interview with Jase King, the master of masks.

AprIL 24, 2021 — version française ici

Describe yourself in three words.

Cognizant, empowered, visionary.

Can you tell us a bit more about your background?

I was born in Melbourne Australia, to a Singaporean father, a Vietnamese mother and raised by my grandmother. After a tumultuous upbringing, at the age of 24, I met my mother and older sister for the first time. I learnt important life lessons at a young age and used the power of imagination to travel to another universe as a means of escapism. I studied performing arts for three years and was involved in all the different aspects of that industry for a decade before moving to the UAE and traveling the world. As I hadn’t put down roots in any particular place in my childhood, I ventured far and wide to over 80 countries, and met a whole panel of colorful and interesting characters by immersing myself different cultures. Carrying a camera on my travels, I documented the entire experience. The repertoire of photographs is part of the inspiration for my work. After a few detours to take the scenic route, I am now living and working in Paris.

You started making masks back in 2020 when the world went in lockdown; how did you manage to reach such a level of perfection in your designs in such a short space of time?

Thank you for your kind observations. I don’t know if they are perfect but after each mask I make, I push myself a little further with the next one. As an actor, I learnt to tell a story within the confines of a stage and also to perform within a frame on TV. As a photographer, it is paramount to capture the essence of your subject in the composition of a photograph. My experience has taught me to compress and elevate the focus to the forefront, in a limited space. Each item used on the masks is deliberately placed. I think about cohesion and the message behind each statement piece. Attention is given to empty spaces where needed, and highlighting in certain areas, to tell a more detailed story.

What do you consider to be the role of your art?

My role is not to be the best painter, the best designer, the best craftsman or the best photographer. There are masters who do those things impeccably and have applied the same methods throughout history. For me, technicalities and applying the correct formula can sometimes get in the way of my expression, as my aesthetics differ greatly from traditional art forms. An example is my signature of applying three-dimensional sculptures on canvas paintings. Another is the way I love to apply embroidery techniques to the photographs I’ve taken to create an extra layer of dimension. My role is to create my own unique path by combining all my experiences, talents and creativity, into pieces that cross over several media that encompass both Art and Fashion. Some critics might not understand what I am doing right now as my ideas are slightly unorthodox, but in the future, I would like people to look back at my body of work as a representation of the current times and hopefully help inspire others to forge their own path, even if it's off the beaten track.

How do you come up with the characters embodied by the masks you create?

Essentially, they are all facets of my personality. Some are imaginary aspirations and others are birthed through a significant memory. In The Agent Saboteur Mask, the mouth is the most visible feature when worn. It delves into the misgivings and doubts I have about myself. In the Duality mask, both my eyes are shielded, and it is split down the middle. It illustrates the half that is my private life and the other half as the world perceives me. The Wanderlust mask has two big eye holes and is built of 13 images that I took as I traveled the world, made into a collage and printed on fabric. It is presented upside down as it was a turning point in my life. That piece represents my time as a flight attendant in the Middle East. There are countless elements in the composition of the masks. Some are concealed and some are just waiting to be revealed.

Where do you source the materials used to make your masks? 

As you mentioned earlier, when I started creating masks, we were ‘trapped’ in home isolation, so all the materials were salvaged from what was available around me. I upcycled beads, sequins, appliqués and embellishments from cushion covers, clothes and Christmas ornaments. I took apart party wigs and deconstructed the leftover samples from my previous capsule collection, Viaggi by Jase King. Last week, I collected offcuts and scraps of fabrics from American Supply Paris which they had kept aside for me. Being resourceful is part of the beginning of the story of creating masks in a global pandemic. As the world slowly opens up again and there are more options available to me, I will nonetheless continue to use a combination of cherished and used materials to give them a beautiful second life.

What makes you choose them to express the message you want to get across?

To help amplify serious issues such as sustainability through using upcycling techniques. It illustrates that used materials can be given another chance in the making of intricate and elaborate masks. I’ve often said that If you do not consider sustainability in your work ethos, you are just out of touch with reality.