Project 3

📄 Description

As a part of this course, we were instructed to make a mask based on the CI Theme “Breaking Barriers: Addressing Gender Discrimination in Education Centers.” Our project the hidden barriers that females face in school, especially in science and technical subjects. Thus, our project was designed to explore social issues through the Theory of Desirable Difficulty, as the challenge of creating art helped deepen our academic understanding. My role was specifically centered on the structural construction of the mask using plaster and the application of Face-Negotiation Theory. We used the mask as a canvas to highlight the "social faces"; additionally, through this project, we aimed to raise awareness of the unequal treatment that girls face in the education sector.

🔍 Justification

The reason behind choosing this topic was persistent, often invisible, gender disparities within the Bangladeshi educational system, particularly in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) fields. While academic institutions claim to be equal, female students frequently encounter "Negative Face" threats, where their autonomy and intellectual capabilities are subtly undermined by cultural stereotypes.

In our mask, we illustrated a classroom where girls are given less support and lower grades compared to boys. By using a contrasting visual layout, subdued, "restricted" tones for the female experience versus vibrant, "entitled" tones for the male, this project justifies how creative media can expose untold social issues. Our main aim was to show that all students deserve equal respect, encouragement, and chances to grow.

📊 Key Outcomes

• During this project, I learned how to convert a complex idea, such as Face Negotiation Theory, into a visual representation. I experienced mask-making for the first time, which improved my practical skills and my understanding of how symbols and colors can deliver a message without words. I realized that art is a powerful way to highlight social issues and encourage people to think deeply about gender equality.