Changing the Traditional Definition of a Mask Shop
You may be asking, what on Earth was Okawara thinking when he decided to sell these lifelike masks? In the interview, he said that he enjoyed creating and shifting the image of what people think a “mask shop” is like.
Nonetheless, even though it is a creepily cool concept, Okawara, who is a theater mask teacher by training, says his masks can be physically difficult to wear. The masks’ basic structure narrow a person’s vision and make it harder to breathe. They are also made of plastic and not silicone, which means you can’t move your eyes, nose or mouth. Okawara still thinks people will buy them, though.
“[E]mbracing that difficulty creates new movements and characters,” he said. “People don’t necessarily want their ideal face, they just want a transformation. People can accept the pain of transformation. Just like a tattoo.”
