Edmond Kok has created more than 170 experimental face masks, inspired both by the coronavirus pandemic and Hong Kong's own political problems.
Like many in the theatre and performing industry, 50-year-old costume designer and actor Edmond Kok has suffered from the disruption caused by the COVID-19 outbreak, but this hasn't slowed down his creativity.
Presenting them on his social media platforms, "edmondkok" on Instagram, his masks are gaining attention.
His creations are all dramatic and playful takes on the ubiquitous face mask for art, not daily wear.
A mask using a takeaway container reminds people how the pandemic is causing harm to the environment.
Masks incorporating CCTV cameras and hands covering mouths make a political statement about the people of Hong Kong's struggles against surveillance and suppression of free speech.
One inspired by Thai temples pays homage to a popular holiday destination that is very much missed as international travel remains difficult.
A 3D visualization of the spiky coronavirus bursting out of a mask reflects the health crisis of a generation.
"I think every piece of art is originated from our daily lives. A lot of things in my life have inspired me to make these face masks. Take the coronavirus as an example, I've seen a lot of pictures of this virus and it has a lot of spikes. It happened that I had some materials from my cuttings which looked similar and so I created this face mask," says Kok.
Kok made many of these face masks without using special materials, just with cuttings from his leftover costume designs as well as ordinary objects from daily life.
"I really want to document different things that happened in our lives. I think this project is not only about the face masks that I made, they are Hong Kong people's face masks which record what happened to us," he adds.
Kok hopes that one day when the pandemic is over and his job resumes, the masks will provide a reminder of what Hong Kong has been through.
