Self Portrait, No more masks [18" x 24" ·] Carbon pencil, blackening watercolours, and inks on paper mounted to canvas [2019-2024]
The Japanese speak of three faces we wear: the one shown to the world, the one shared with intimates, and the hidden third—the truest self we rarely reveal. For me, that innermost face is the skull: stripped of pretense, embodying emptiness and unfiltered truth in Eastern philosophy.
"We all wear masks to hide who we really are; to me the skull is the real person behind we all hide from the world." — Blair Aiken
In this self-portrait, I remove all masks, inviting the viewer to meet my gaze and confront the raw self beneath. The piece serves as both revelation and reminder—I had these three faces tattooed on my arm and shoulder as a daily anchor: never confuse the SELF I know with the versions others perceive.
Part of an ongoing exploration of identity, honesty, and rebirth—dark yet eternally optimistic.
Inquiries welcome for acquisition or studio view: blairaiken@raincage.com