Narcissus / Self-Portrait 15
2012
silver 935, brass, leather, pear wood
43 x 86 x 43 cm
Portrait in the Mirror
The term “ritratto allo specchio” was used for painted self-portraits: portrait in the mirror. It is this description that formed the starting point for this work.
Silver
It consists of a silver egg shape reminiscent of a classic measuring instrument. Silver is traditionally the material used in mirrors.
Three-Dimensional Self-Portrait
The object can be carried in a box, and set up on specially designed brass stands. Once opened, the sphere turns out to contain a three-dimensional self-portrait of the artist – in positive and in negative, the two fitting together precisely. This makes it appear as though we can see both the inside and the outside of the artist. Just like looking at one’s own face in the mirror.
Mythological Narcissus
We must be careful not to look at our own reflection too much so that, like the mythological Narcissus, we fall in love with ourselves and waste away.
