Breathing in Art – Kai Syng Tan

Breathing In Art is a new series by Fermynwoods Contemporary Art to support and promote mask wearing whilst celebrating and featuring selected artists. Whilst we’re amid a global pandemic and wearing masks to protect ourselves and others is part of everyday life, we’re inviting artists to design a range of masks that will be available to the public.

The next in this series comes from Dr Kai Syng Tan, a “UK-based Artist, Curator, Consultant, Academic, HyperActive Running-Messenger, Atypical Octopussy and Exceptionally Talented Mind-Full BusyBody Extraordinaire who mobilises artistic and artful processes across disciplinary/cultural/geopolitical borders to catalyse conversations for change.”

This mask was created as part of a 21st Century Artful Agitator series of designs, made with parts of my own body and font, about making change through artistic processes.

The Covid-19 virus strain is not our enemy; our lack of vision is what works against us.

Each one of us must act now. I am calling for artists to be enlisted to collaborate with scientists, economists, politicians and humanities scholars to counter the unprecedented social, economic and mental health fallout brought about by a novel coronavirus. We need novel insights and artful solutions as part of a holistic community of efforts, bringing in atypical thinkers, adaptable and nimble doers and creative problem-solvers who are used to and thrive in contexts that are complex and new.

Kai Syng Tan

To order this mask design for just £20 including P&P click on the product image below to order from our online store.


We are working with a sustainable supplier who make everything in the UK through ethical employment practices, with eco-friendly inks, FSC certified materials and water-free manufacturing. The masks are made to order, and any fabric waste is given free to creatives to repurpose instead of sending to landfill.

Look out for more Breathing in Art designs in the coming weeks.