Mask

Marseille, July 2022

They have invaded supermarkets, drugstores, the most diverse sales websites, public transportation, but also our professional and private meetings. Surgical masks have become a new source of complex plastic waste. Some have sought to recycle them by cleaning, drying, exposing them to UV light or any other disinfection method. In this small street, an unexpected recycling can be observed: the mask is placed on the front (but also back) plate of a car, hiding part of the ID.
While the Hong Kong protesters were fighting against facial recognition in police systems by obeying public health guidelines, this recycling targets other cameras, those of the slow-moving parking service vehicles, which only aim at letters and numbers. Covering up what makes a sign, recovering the primary role of the mask: the return to anonymity.