Mortification of Self
This project explores how western civilization is returning to the notion of human disfigurement as a means of expressing individuality and alienation. It comments upon issues such as self-inflicted wounds, cosmetic surgery and scarification. The practice of cutting or wounding oneself was once seen in medieval times as proof of saintliness and being closer to God. Why have these arcane practices re-emerged in the 21st century? Have they been re-invented as a way of connecting with a post-modern God?
Maybe something is missing in our lives. Maybe we have lost the virtue of being ordinary. The change in our expectations corresponds with the evolution of mass media and the rise of the cult of celebrity. Our hopes and aspirations for fame and fortune are greater than they have ever been and it is the young who feel the pressure, a pressure that can be alleviated with bleeding. We are in search of methods for cultivating the uniqueness of the self in a world in which it is increasingly difficult.
The idea for Mortification of Self developed from my interest in the rapidly increasing popularity of cosmetic surgery. At the time, it started to become a normal, rather than an abnormal, way of improving people´s confidence. That and the fact that cosmetic surgery has a rapidly growing number of very young female "users" has raised a multitude of questions in my mind. There is an interesting connection to the concept and achievement of beauty in today´s society.
Very often, my work with specific topics includes a great deal of research. Besides reading and searching through the Internet, it also includes meeting and talking to people who have the "real life" experience with a given subject. In some cases, people who provided me with the insight have also become models for my paintings. Working from life, as I usually do, is always an intense and enriching process; working with models who actually had the experience of what I was exploring has proved itself to be truly unique. I believe it has contributed not only to the reality of my work, but also to my personal reality.
