Self & Reflection

Mixed Media, 2007
32 x 36.5″ 

While pursuing my art degree, I began experimenting with scanning hand-drawn illustrations as the foundation for finished digital paintings. This piece began as a graphic design project inspired by John William Waterhouse’s Echo and Narcissus, but rather than illustrating the myth literally, I became interested in the psychological state of Narcissus as he becomes consumed by his own reflection.

In this image, I imagined the reflective pool from the viewer’s perspective, placing us in the position of the image that captivates him, while the spiraling forms in the eyes, face, and hair suggest the hypnotic pull of self-perception and the feeling of being trapped within one’s own image. For much of my life, I struggled with my appearance and often avoided mirrors or reflective surfaces altogether, yet I also feared becoming overly preoccupied with my own image. The story of Narcissus came to represent that tension between avoidance and fixation—two opposing responses to the same uncertainty. While researching the myth, I was fascinated to learn that some ancient Greek beliefs associated reflections with superstition, misfortune, or death, which made me wonder how cultural attitudes toward reflection continue to shape the stories and imagery that influence artists today.

References

• Encyclopaedia Britannica: “Narcissus.” https://www.britannica.com/topic/Narcissus-Greek-mythology
• Greek Mythology: “Narcissus.” https://www.greekmythology.com/Myths/Mortals/Narcissus/narcissus.html