Self-Quarantine in Beijing: Ep. 6, Some protection is better than none
I’ve been illustrating this “Self-Quarantine in Beijing” series for a while now. During this time, nothing has made me laugh as much as seeing the creative ways people have tried to protect themselves from COVID-19. One of my friends, the artist Hú Yǐnpíng 胡尹萍, is even commercializing new designs for plastic helmets that can be worn with face masks as supportive protection.
But when I say laugh, I mean because of stuff like this:
In the face of this new reality of ours, we need all the sources of laughter we can get, to stay protected mentally as well as physically.
Plastic Bottle Mask
Depending on where you are, masks can be hard to come by.
Nappy Mask
But when you have no other choice, any kind of replacement will do.
Pomelo Mask
Who is anyone to judge if this design makes you look like a literal fruit?
Instant Noodle Mask
Some protection is better than no protection.
Plastic Bag Over the Head
(Though they were absolutely right about never putting your head in a plastic bag…)
…and this is why some of us have come up with “safer” alternatives.
Plastic Helmet designed by Hu Yinping
Like Charlie Chaplin said, “We must laugh in the face of our helplessness against the forces of nature…or go insane.”
Fish Hat and Toast Mask
Getting back to reality is going to be hard — as hard as imagining that the hat above actually exists and is for sale online.
Plastic Veil Hat, Mask and Four-Leaf Clover
When COVID-19 “passes,” we’ll need to take baby steps toward trusting the world again.
The choice of our outdoor outfits will be crucial in making us feel more comfortable breathing the fresh air outside, and even if this choice might be sometimes guided more by superstition than objective science, I think that whatever makes you feel safer once you step outside your house will absolutely be valid.
Self-Quarantine in Beijing is a series of illustrations by Donal Turner. Previously:
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