Under the Mask: Labeling and Self-Perception in Augmented Reality

Abstract

Under the Mask is a speculative AR experience that critically explores how social labels shape both perception and self-perception in everyday life. The project reimagines augmented reality not as a technological novelty, but as a conceptual mirror—a way to visualize how identity is continuously negotiated in social space. Users interact with two distinct labeling functions: when they assign a tag to themselves, it becomes visible to everyone, symbolizing the ways in which self-identification enters public discourse. In contrast, when users label others, those tags remain private—visible only to the individual user—highlighting how our assumptions primarily influence our own vision, not objective reality. The project draws attention to the emotional and psychological tension between internal identity and external judgment. By simulating this interaction in a playful and reflective way, Under the Mask encourages users to question both the power and the fragility of labeling systems. Rather than rejecting labels altogether, it reframes them as tools for social navigation—useful but incomplete, meaningful but mutable. This experience ultimately advocates for self-awareness, openness, and the recognition that while we live within a network of mutual influence, the choice of how to interpret and internalize labels remains our own