Portrait of the Self is a painting reflecting the fetishization of authority. This entails the general representation of status, wealth and power in the media which mirrors itself upon the wishes and desires we carry out as individuals. This results our focus on success individually rather than for the prosperity of a collective. Not just engrained in the media but also politically, it has become evident that efforts are directed towards the growth of the already wealthy rather than the improvement for the poor or middle class. In addition to these values my project also illustrates the ways in which the subconscious affects our sexual desire. Through our existence in a patriarchal society the remains of Freud’s theories can still be observed which were largely based on the assumption that females are self-destructive and gain gratification from rape. This becomes evident in rape culture engrained in power structures as well as victim-blaming towards women affected by it.
Additionally, through the painting being displayed behind a curtain, the audience is physically confronted with a concept integrating all members of society. This mirrors the way L’Origine du Monde was primarily hidden behind a curtain at the time due to the female genitals being a subject of vulgarity which still persisted nowadays. When the curtain is opened, the artist is turning on the light for ten seconds. Through this, power dynamic is challenged through the artist manipulating the exposure time through light.
The painting puts sexual desires into the context of not existing merely to suit male wishes but their own. Portrait of the Self illustrates how our thought process is part of the male-dominated system that we operate in and that, subliminally, we subject our own bodies to the same criteria that we condemn.
