I like cloning myself and then playing with multiple images of me to see how they interact with each other. It is very compelling and highly addictive. Sometimes I go all elaborate with sets/costumes and alter egos. Today's image is a very simple assemblage of me times two. I'm not a super social person, and I spend a lot of time with just myselves for companionship. Self portraits of multiple me(s) are one way I doggedly try to get to know me better.
The ancient Greek saying
γνῶθι σεαυτόν means "know thyself." It has a couple of interpretations, but my favorite is that it's a warning to pay no attention to the opinion of the multitude. The multitude may be of the opinion that taking pictures of myself day in and day out is a less-than valid use of my time. The judgmental multitude can think whatever it wants to. But the judgmental multitude has no idea. And the judgmental multitude may kiss my ass.
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| Self portrait 1-18-13 |
If you have the time and want to learn more about the psychology of self portraits (and other portraiture), I highly recommend an extremely thorough and insightful website called Photographic Psychology: Image and Psyche written and photographed by psychology professor John Suler. Go to: http://users.rider.edu/~suler/photopsy/clones.htm to see his masterful use of "clones" to illustrate psychological concepts.
