Liz Sexton Creates Papier-Mâché Masks Of Human Scale

 

Liz Sexton is a 37 years of age papier-mâché artist living and working in Minneapolis. She grew up making colorful piñatas and Halloween costumes with her father. 

When we hear the word papier-mâché, we are reminded of a sloppy craft activity by kids who are spending their afternoon at home tearing old newspaper and soaking them in water with flour. Sexton on the other extreme of the spectrum creates large, hand-painted animal heads and helmets worn by humans who look like hybrid beings who often appear on a subway car, a deserted beach, and staircases of an abandoned building. These wearable pieces can take weeks to create. Her aim is to highlight how the existence of species is threatened, pushing them closer to extinction.

“I often work on threatened species, particularly sea creatures, and photograph the masks worn in very human habits, highlighting the displacement that many creatures are currently experiencing...I also work on more common animals that we might share our surroundings with but don’t necessarily notice or engage with. Presented on a human scale, they share our world, becoming visible members of our communities."

The artist recently created 70 different threatened species - owl, rhino, bear, zebra and turtle - for each guest that attended an event hosted by The New York Times Style Magazine. You can hop on to her Instagram to take a closer look at these miniature menagerie.