El Perdedor is part of my on-going series on the lived experience of mental illness. Each piece offers symbolic and literal elements aimed at explaining – or helping viewers identify with – the emotions, sensations, and self-talk of mental illness. The metaphorical elements include the obvious: masks, anonymity, “differentness,” but also the deeply personal element: the mask is made from one of my own pieces of work. I leave the words up to the viewer to decipher.