Yangsook Choi, a 41-year-old author based in New York, created this paper-mâché piece while writing Behind The Mask, a children’s book published in 2006 about a boy who wears a Korean disguise for Halloween. In the story, the boy learns that his late grandfather was a traditional mask dancer who participated in talchum, a Korean folk ritual made up of lively song performances and satirical dramas about the ruling class.

“Wearing a mask appeals to all of us because it’s whimsical and festive. And it allows me to be a person, species or entity that is different from myself.”

—Yangsook Choi