Rehearsing Mirror
This installation piece is part of my exhibition “Journey of a Thousand Years” I created in 2014. I intended to inspire the viewers to know themselves better. I made sculptures looking at their reflections in etched mirrors and in water. Because what really defines us is how we see ourselves in our “own mirrors” and the value we assess for our self-worth. This self image can be improved by valuing our talents, respecting our intelligence and acting on our beliefs and feelings. With self knowledge we also know what clears our minds, what type of work and people give us joy and satisfaction, how much pressure we can take, how to handle disappointments and frustration, why we react in a certain way. Once we discover ourselves we can fulfill our purpose in life. That is the main point.
The installation piece represents the roles we play in life and the expressions we rehearse in front of mirrors to find the right impressions.
I created this installation piece titled “Rehearsing Mirrors” to display that we sometimes play roles based on audiences or the desired personality. The roles we perform become habits and they compel us to a series of identities. People examine reactions of the audience to make sure that the appropriate impression is being created in some cases. There is no deception here. It is part of being human.
Many children and adults rehearse before a mirror trying out gestures, facial expressions until they find combinations for the right impression. Eventually these behaviors become habitual.
This piece includes golden, slatted acrylic mirrors etched with the face of a mime. The pieces are hang loosely so that our own fractured distorted images are observed and they become part of the art.