The project is largely inspired by Belgian artist René Magritte’s “The Lovers I”, a surrealistic painting that depicts the impossibility of truly knowing your significant other. In this masterpiece, the artist portrays the uncertainty, blindness, and even irrationality of love by presenting two lovers looking at each other through opaque veils.

When looking at this piece of work in 2021 under the context of the on-going global health crisis, we see that the “blindness” of a relationship it conveys has taken on a more literal meaning. The pandemic has separated lovers, friends and family members. Social distancing has forced us to put on “face coverings” both literally and figuratively. People are unable to see each other in person, to talk face to face, and to build real-life connections.

In light of this, the project shows the process of veils gradually draping on the 3D-scanned face models of ourselves. By displaying this we hope to create a metaphor for the privation of human relationships during the COVID pandemic, and to draw people’s attention on the issues regarding social interactions under such circumstances.