Maskbook x COP26

Maskbook is a project by the not-for-profit organisation Art of Change 21 supported by the Schneider Electric Foundation. This year, we are delighted to host this event with Strathclyde University at Barony Hall in Glasgow. We will have limited space, so please reserve a spot as soon as possible!

Maskbook was born in 2014 for the first Art of Change 21 "Conclave", in collaboration with Chinese artist and photographer Wen Fang, who came up with its name: "In China, Facebook is banned. Since we all wear air masks here, if Facebook existed it would be called Maskbook. ” Maskbook is a global collective work of art referencing air pollution, pandemics, global warming, and waste, that invites everyone and anyone to create a mask from waste in a creative and ecological way. Maskbook raises awareness and mobilizes the general and local public through creativity by using the anti-pollution mask as a symbol. The anxiety-provoking dimension of this type of mask is reversed to become an artistic and committed support.

From China to Kenya, to Ecuador and South Korea, around 200 mask-making workshops have been held, gathering together over 10,000 of participants and have taken place at the previous 5 UN Climate Summits. They are organised in a wide variety of places: museums, companies, universities, villages, international events, public gardens, shopping centres, festivals, etc. 

They are open to everyone and free. Their principle is simple: each participant is invited to create a mask from waste products (upcycling) that have been collected (on a beach in Ghana, in a textile workshop in Kenya, or quite simply in the participant's basket…). The participants are then photographed and fill out a form indicating their creative result. 

Have a look at previous creations in the gallery here: https://www.maskbook.org/index... 

From our surveys:
• 78% of the participants said they appreciated being able to give free rein to their creativity
• 72% said they learnt more about environmental issues
• 55% claim that the workshops caused a change in their behaviour towards the environment
• 56% of participants felt more optimistic about their ability as citizens to take action on environmental issues
• 50% of the participants express a desire to continue practicing it!