Mukhauta

Toshi Singh, Mukhauta

Mukhauta (Hindi word for mask) is a series of papier-mâché masks that explore memory, materiality, and the beauty of imperfection. Created from discarded cardboard, egg cartons, and scrap paper, the works emerged during quiet moments at home, first as playful experiments with the artist’s and later evolving into a full-scale exploration of form and colour. Inspired by traditional Indian masks seen throughout Singh’s childhood in Bangalore, these pieces reinterpret that tradition through a personal and contemporary lens. Each mask is hand-formed from paper pulp, textured, uneven, and unpolished, retaining the marks of making as traces of time and touch.

Painted in bold, bright, and earthy hues reminiscent of Indian textiles, festivals, and urban life, the masks speak of memory, migration, and belonging. As a migrant, we often wear different masks in daily life, sometimes to belong, sometimes to assimilate, and sometimes to create distance. Mukhauta reflects this experience, turning ordinary materials into a personal exploration of identity, expression, and resilience.