Kuboraum: the ideas behind the Masks
A meeting in Berlin, five first frames and an idea: wearing a Mask. From K5 to Ocean Cage, we enter Kuboraum through its eyewear.
Berlin, 2009. It begins at a gallery opening.
Livio Graziottin and Sergio Eusebi meet in a gallery. Two years later come five frames; in 2012, Kuboraum begins. They call them Mask. The idea is that a pair of glasses can also change the way you see yourself.
A room on your face
The project makes its home in a former Berlin post office, now a gallery, studio and meeting place. Italian craftspeople make the frames. Art, music and objects to wear have shared this space from the beginning.
The Mask is imagined as a personal space. Put it on, look at yourself and try out a possibility. Four frames help explain the idea. They share a name and show little inclination to look alike.
Through our eyes · Cat-eye
K5: start with a corner
In K5 Black Matt, the cat-eye rises towards the temples. Matte black softens reflections and reveals the outline. From the front, it is a bold mark; turn it slightly and its depth appears.
If it looks daring on the shelf, put it on. That corner is precisely what makes its meeting with your expression interesting.
Discover K5
Through our eyes · Geometry
Q8: amber inside the rectangle
Q8 Tortoise stretches the geometry sideways. Amber passages cross the dark rim: the rectangle keeps its weight while the tortoiseshell adds warmth.
Beside K5, it sends your eye in a different direction. One rises; the other extends. A preference is already beginning to form.
Discover Q8
Through our eyes · Aviator
P31: follow the double bridge
P31 leaves space between its two bridges and builds an aviator silhouette around them. Cover the upper bar in the photograph with your finger: you immediately see how much that line contributes.
In the Tortoise version, colour continues along Havana and green temples; the lenses graduate from orange to green. The side view holds another part of the surprise.
Discover P31
Hydromechanics · Water and mechanics
H61: acetate gives way to articulated joints
Then comes H61, from the Hydromechanics series. Kuboraum starts with a dialogue between water and mechanics: rimless lenses, articulated bridges and hinges.
After the mass of K5, these connections feel like a change of scene. Your eye moves from joint to joint, following the construction. A Mask can make an impression while leaving plenty of open space.
Discover H61A light seen in Berlin
For the Hamburger Bahnhof capsule, colour comes from a precise place: Dan Flavin’s blue and green installation on the museum façade, inaugurated in 1996. Light crosses architecture and becomes the starting point for a frame. It is one of the threads linking Kuboraum to art.
Ocean Cage takes the stage
In Venice in 2026, Moyang & Seaman brings together Tianzhuo Chen’s world and Siko Setyanto’s dance. That performance provides the reference for six ASIANDOPEBOYS × Kuboraum Mask.
Hand-applied enamel carries colour across their surfaces. F5 The Cage pairs violet with red; X6 Fire Walk With Me starts with polished black and adds pale pink lenses. Variations from the handwork are part of their expression.
The story continues in our Journal feature on Ocean Cage. Find the frames in the Kuboraum capsules and special editions selection.
Before choosing your Mask
Compare two or three models: the upper edge, bridge contact and room at the temples. Colour and thickness can make frames with similar measurements look very different.
Lens width measures one lens. To assess the whole frame, consider its construction and a pair that fits you well. Our measurement guide helps you prepare.
The next stop is the mirror
Which detail stayed with you? K5’s corner, P31’s double bridge, H61’s joints? Start there, then look at the whole frame again.
Now picture it in your day, with your own coat and this morning’s hair. Kuboraum’s story has brought you this far. The next image, in the mirror, will be yours.
Sources and references
Origins and creative references: Kuboraum · Project. Stated inspirations: Hydromechanics, Hamburger Bahnhof, F5 The Cage and X6 Fire Walk With Me. The readings of K5, Q8 and P31 shapes are OCCHIO’s editorial interpretations. Photographs from our selection; colours and finishes refer to the versions identified.