Joke Raes

Joke Raes, visual artist, has developed a passion for creating mask portraits since her artist residency at the European Ceramic Work Center (EKWC). Her inspiration comes from the mystery of identity, its fragile beauty and its malleability. Her works explore this theme in depth.

Raes mainly works with porcelain for her creations. However, for the SOTT project she has developed unique masks from malleable epoxy. The use of this material makes her work special; it allows her to shape the shapes and details of her masks in a flexible and expressive way without baking. The masks bear an organic signature that is characteristic of her visual language and demonstrate a sharp eye for detail.

Raes' style is characterized by organic shapes and fragile detailing. These elements were probably influenced by her artist residency in the Amazon in Peru and her participation in the underwater exhibition in the Red Sea in Egypt. She brings life and expression to her works in a unique way, so that each mask tells its own story.

The story behind her masks revolves around revealing the complex layers of identity. She invites viewers to think about how identities are formed, manipulated and presented. Through the fragility and versatility of her materials, Raes reflects the flexibility of human identities.

Joke's decision to participate in the SOTT project was driven by her affinity with the theme of masks. The project provides a platform to show the infinity of the imagination. The basic mask in this project can be interpreted and creatively reflected in countless ways, which fits perfectly with Raes' artistic vision and her desire to explore the complexity of identity.