TURQUOISE (ltd ed. OF 10) DYSTOPIA (larger neon text version) FACE MASK ART
TURQUOISE (ltd ed. OF 10) DYSTOPIA (larger neon text version) FACE MASK ART
LAST ONE REMAINING (it’s a large)
This is a super special limited run of just 10 in a TURQUOISE colour.
If the listing shows stock available to add to cart now, it means I have stock ready to ship out (no waiting etc, bar the postal delivery times - I send via Royal Mail First Class tracked and signed services).
If showing as back soon - select the option you’re interested in from the drop down menu and enter your email address to be notified by email as soon as they are back in stock.
They are not just face coverings, they are also limited edition numbered art collectables which are a statement about our time but a fraction of the price of most of Rebecca’s usual work.
FACE MASKS ARE NON REFUNDABLE AND NON EXCHANGEABLE. By ordering, you confirm you have read and understood the below.
MASK INFO:
LIMITED EDITION (OF only TEN) Face masks (not medical grade - they are not the kind used or needed by healthcare workers) using some of Rebecca’s artwork
One mask per pack plus the Certificate of Authenticity card.
Masks are sent via a tracked and signed for postal service.
ONE FABRIC OPTION - 3ply Quilted Jersey mix fabric.
Machine washable and re-useable
Handmade in London
15% of profits go to charity - see below
Printed in the UK
(July 2020: I am no longer doing the “mask art sets” which included extras, stickers, a mini print etc)
RETURNS: FACE MASKS ARE NON REFUNDABLE AND NON EXCHANGEABLE. READ THE INFO BELOW BEFORE ORDERING.
TIMING INFO: ***PLEASE NOTE, IT IS TAKING MY PRINTING CO LONGER THAN USUAL TO FULFILL ORDERS DUE TO CURRENT CONDITIONS so these come in and go back out of stock again quickly. If the listing shows stock available to add to cart now, it means I have stock ready to ship out (no waiting etc, bar the postal delivery times - I send via Royal Mail First Class tracked and signed services).
SIZING: Elastic Fitting. Please note, the sizes below are approx and as they are hand made there is often some variation of around 1cm or more (often 1cm shorter). I think large is primarily aimed at men, but can also be the best option for some women. Generally medium is perhaps more focused on women but to be honest as there is often quite a bit of variation it is hard to tell. I wear both sizes. If you have a longer, wider or larger face, large might be best. If you have a shorter, narrow or more dainty face, medium may be better. I’d advise you to check the measurements below but know that there may be some variation also. I find that at least with larger ones I can make them tighter using toggles (not inc) or knots.
Quilted Jersey mix (3ply)
Medium - 12 to 12.5 cm approx max height - 12 to 13 cm elastic at each end, looped. Width from end of ear elastic to end of other ear elastic is 30 - 31cm approx.
LARGER MEDIUMS - this is where i received a few larges that I thought seemed a smaller width overall (including the ear elastics) so I changed them to mediums. They are still more of a large on the “approx max height” measurement eg 13-14.5cm high at the highest point, but I felt the width came in closer to to 30-31cm end of ear elastic to end of ear elastic. Bear in mind though there is some variation, you should measure using a fabric tape (not a rigid metal tape measure) and measurements are influenced by how much the fabric is stretched (this is stretchy fabric). No refunds or exchanges if they do not fit.
Large - 13 to 14.5 cm approx max height - 13 to 14 cm elastic at each end, looped
Height: Select the height that will best cover your mouth and nose
In the photos, the small mannequin head is wearing a large. Please check your measurements against the approx measurements above before ordering. I recommend going up a size if in any doubt (you can at least make a too large mask a bit smaller) but I can’t refund or exchange if they don’t fit, due to hygiene reasons.
I make my own large mask a little tighter by tying knots in the elastic. Some people use plastic toggles (not supplied). As each mask is hand made please do expect some variations in sizing etc.
IMPORTANT INFO: these are not medical grade masks (those should be saved for healthcare workers). As they are made in tiny batches or to order, no-one is hoarding them or holding excess unused stock etc (i.e. not creating shortages elsewhere). They are intended for self expression, as wearable art and to make your permitted trips out a little more interesting. Wearing a face mask has no proven medical benefit considering the current global situation, though there are some reports that they are thought to reduce the risk of asymptomatic carriers spreading the virus to others - though this is NOT confirmed.
These face masks are NOT medical grade masks (i.e. not grade FFP2/N95). So please DO NOT purchase these face masks with the false understanding they will prevent infection from Coronavirus.
I am trying to keep links updated on this page to news reports on the public wearing of NON MEDICAL GRADE masks (it goes without saying that the medical grade ones should be reserved for healthcare workers). Here is a link to the BBC news site.
Here is a link to the UK government’s page on Staying Safe Outside Your Home
Link to Guidance on washing face masks
CARE INSTRUCTIONS: Machine washable and completely re-usable. Wash up to 60°C temperature. Air dry.
****Please wash your mask regularly, ideally daily, to keep it fresh and hygienic****.
Wash your hands regularly!
If you do not have the funds to buy a mask, there are many mask making templates etc online so you can find ways to make your own. The UK government have also published guidance on how to make your own face mask covering (e.g. using a T shirt).
CHARITY:
15% of the total profits being earned have been and are being donated to charity. I keep a regular running total re the profits and then make donations regularly to ensure I am keeping at the 15% level. I didn’t want to hold off until the end of each of the time periods before sending the payments, as these are difficult times for charities so I like to send the payments piecemeal regularly so they get the funding quickly as I go along. Some of the platforms on which I donate have publicly available lists of donations that you are welcome to scroll through so you can check my donations (bear in mind there might be lots of little ones!), for those that don’t have a publicly available list, receipts are available upon request for audit purposes.
RECIPIENTS:
April - May: The Scrub & Face Protection hub (in a series of donations as and when I checked where things were at)
June & July: the figure is being split between Black Lives Matter, Kent Refugee Action Network & the Folkestone Rainbow Centre
SOME ADDITIONAL FACE MASK COVERING FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Are they medical grade/ will they protect me against Coronavirus?
These masks/face coverings are NOT medical grade. They will not protect you against Coronavirus. There are some studies and opinions face coverings may prevent you passing on the virus to someone else if you’re asymptomatic (if you have symptoms, you should be self isolating anyway) though views on this vary. My mask coverings are designed as artist commentaries about the current time. I wear my own in the hope it protects others but I do not know if that is the case given the science on it has not yet been confirmed. Wash your hands regularly for 20 seconds and adhere to social distancing rules.
Do they contain filters or a filter pocket?
They do not contain filters or filter pockets. I just pop a coffee filter paper between my mask and my face when I go out!
What is better, “quilted” or “airflow”?
Quilted is thicker (3ply - three thin layers) but still lightweight. Airflow is thinner (single layer). Quilted is a slightly heavier fabric so loses some of the printing quality. Airflow shows the image in a crisper way but you do then get a thinner mask. Neither is medical grade.
Sometimes the fabrics look a little different between photos - why is this?
Sometimes my printing co uses a different “quilted” fabric to the one used before, depending on what they have. The quilted are always 3ply but some seem more smooth than others - both are “quilted” fabrics, they just mix it up sometimes depending on supply. Likewise, with airflow fabric - initially they started off with almost like a sports thin fabric and now are using a slightly thicker one (still single layer) still classified as “airflow”.
Can I put mine in a frame and display it as artwork about this time?
Several people have said they plan to do this - that is fine by me. The authenticity card is included (signed and numbered) too for provenance.
How long will my mask covering take to get to me?
I try to post out orders on the next working day - occasionally I can’t as I don’t want to be going to the post office too much, but from my side they are always sent within a couple of working days after the order (if they are in stock, not pre orders). All are sent via Royal Mail first class tracked and signed for (though they are not requiring signatures at the moment). The tracking makes the postage more expensive but it makes it easier to follow its journey especially as post is being a bit strange at the moment. I have noticed that whilst first class post should arrive the next working day, it is often taking 2-3 working days to arrive and, in London, it can be as much as 10 days as there are some severe delays at London sorting offices etc.
How much have you given to charity so far?
As at 20 May, a total of £123 has been paid to the Scrub and Face Protection hub. This is 15% of the total profit I have made so far. You can check my donations on their donations pages (there are a number of different ones, as I do them in small batches).
Where are the masks made?
The masks are designed by me in Folkestone then they are printed and sewn in London, UK.
Can I choose what card I’ll get in my set?
I am afraid not, I select cards depending on what is available when I am wrapping the sets. I try to be fair and if I include a smaller card may include two, or a postcard too. I also throw in a couple of stickers each time.
FROM 19 MAY ALL NEW ORDERS WILL INCLUDE THE “BORED?” SIGNED AND NUMBERED POSTCARD SIZE MINI PRINT instead of a different art card (I have run out of the cards I am using!). You cannot buy this bored? mini print or the stickers anywhere separately - they are only included with purchases.
How should I put on/take off my mask?
Before putting on the mask, clean your hands well with soap and water. Cover your mouth and nose with your mask. Avoid touching the mask while using it and, if you do, wash your hands. Replace the mask when it is damp. To remove your mask, take it off using the elastic tags, without touching the front and discard immediately directly into the washing machine.