Mandauehanon turns simple surgical masks to art pieces

CEBU CITY, Philippines—Since we’re bound to keep wearing them as part of the new normal due to the coronavirus disease scare, we might as well try to pimp up those face masks.

This is exactly what Elgeniel Nangit is doing.

The 36-year-old artist and a musician from Barangay Cabancalan, Mandaue City is transforming simple surgical masks to art pieces.

Nangit paints on the surgical masks with fine details of the subjects of his liking, which he then posts on his Facebook page, Art of Kniel Nangit.

The idea actually popped up when he tried to satisfy his art cravings.

“The idea of surgical mask as my quarantine canvas ky nag start katong wala jud koy mapalitan na art materials like canvas and sketch papers tungod sa ecq (enhanced community quarantine). Mao to, ni testing ko’g paint gamit ang mask as canvas. Pwede raman diay, timing pud na naa pakoy na sobra na paints pag last project nako, mao nalang ako gigamit pud,” he said.

(The idea of painting on surgical masks started during quarantine because it was then I was having a hard time looking for art materials like a canvas because of the ECQ. That’s why I tested painting using surgical masks as canvas. It turned out good and I had some leftover paints from my last  project, that’s what I used.)

Art therapy

Nangit said being under quarantine really gave him the chance to play with his creativity and ended up doing small art pieces on surgical masks, which also helped him cope with the current situation.

“Sa kalaay, usahay mo gawas gyud ko. Pero karon nalingaw nakog paint sa mga masks, imbis gamiton nako para mo gawas, di nalang ko mo gawas ug ako nalang paintingan para malingaw pud ko. Mura napud siyag art therapy, ug mag silbi pud ning remembrance puhon kaning panghitabo karon,” he said.

(Because of boredom, I sometimes go out. But now that I enjoy painting masks, I don’t go out anymore and stay indoors just do more painting. This is also sort of art therapy and it serves as a remembrance of all that’s happening now.)

With this very creative idea, many are asking if Nangit would sell these masks. But for him, he would like to collect them first and maybe do an online art exhibit for the meantime.

Nangit shared that among his face mask artworks include one featuring Cebu Governor Gwendolyn Garcia, which he titled “Ang Probinsyana.” /bmjo