Skip to main content

Selfie


Void

Our hands' expressions move on with time and progress. Some gestures we can easily recognise now didn't even exist a decade ago. 

Take for instance this setup that you may often see on social media; taking a selfie in the mirror. (Who didn't do that, I do, too!) Depending on the size of the phone or camera, one uses one or both hands to take a picture and post it in their profile. What do you see there? Sometimes perhaps nothing but ego or vanity, or even emptiness sometimes. I often first see the hands, and sometimes those hands are the only things that remain there, especially if those are of nice esthetics. The rest is just void. It's like some sort of vanitas. 


Fun! I've just tried ChatGPT for the first time and sent the above text to the almighty AI in the clouds. Here is their response: 

"You make a valid point about the potential for selfies taken in the mirror to be seen as a display of ego or vanity. The act of taking a photograph of oneself and sharing it on social media can be seen as a way of drawing attention to oneself and seeking validation from others. However, it's important to note that the motivations behind taking a selfie can vary greatly from person to person and can also be a form of self-expression or self-documentation. The hands in these selfies can also be seen as a symbol of the individual's presence and agency in the moment of the photograph being taken. The concept of vanitas, which refers to the idea of the transience and emptiness of material things, can also be applied to these selfies as they may only capture a fleeting moment and not truly represent the depth or complexity of a person's life. And it's also important to note that, while some people may view these selfies as empty or meaningless, others may see them as a way to connect with others, document their lives, or express themselves creatively.

View the finished painting in my gallery.




Comments

Popular posts from this blog

You'll Get Over It

  What could possibly happen? Something tragic, I assume. I am sure you can imagine dozens of situations where this setting could be possible. Regret, revelation, anger, shock, despair, compassion, support, consolation, reassurance, forgiveness, unbelief, doubt, fear... All of these might apply to the people in this painting. And all these are actually expressed with hands. And there will be nothing of these when you think those hands away, I'm afraid.   This is another small one in my series Hands' Private Life. I painted it all prima with my limited palette of Burnt sienna, Ultramarine blue, Yellow ochre, Cadmium red and Titanium white. As reference, I used the photographs Paul and myself took of me and my hands, in four different settings.    While thinking about how to name this piece, with my music on, the Legacy by PSB suddenly started to playback. The lyrics were so true, my mood was quite down, and the title was chosen. (And first I was thinking of calli...

Peaceful Fields, project completed

A very special commission indeed When I posted  this story in March   I still did not quite believe this project could ever be realised. Today I am  proud to tell and to show that the project was successfully completed and that I was honoured to play a small part in it.  But first things first. The most northern historical windmill in the Netherlands, called De Phenix, has been thoroughly restored and repurposed as a unique working both flour and oil mill with a large underground visiting area. Dozens of professionals and volunteers have been working hard for four years to make this happen. It became one of eight  Amelander Musea . Being a volunteer, I  was invited in February by the museum working group to collaborate in the design of the underground space of the mill. Besides the whole construction, I was particularly impressed by the very long concrete wall which I thought should stay just clear and unfurnished bearing only some decor...

Landscapes

  Study and Tell Here is a series of landscape paintings based on the photographs I recently took.       I am honoured to have been invited to share my painting process with the enthusiastic and talented local painters' club for the second season. Inspired by our sessions together, I recently created a series of quick and small landscape studies based on the beautiful surroundings of our village. This experience has provided me with a great opportunity to teach while also learning more about painting landscapes, composition, light, and colour. All three are oil on canvas board 20 x 20 cm, alla prima, limited palette. View the finished paintings in my  gallery .