The Mirror Project

Upon first gaze, it can be argued that the mirror is a product of vanity; it fuels our fascination withour superficial appearance. However, the mirror is also a means to compare who we feel we are 'inside' and the person the rest of the world sees, and thus I was inspired to examine this notion in more depth using the symbol of a mirror to communicate reflection on identity. Having not only taken inspiration from the photographic works of Duane Michals but the Surrealists' use of the distortion to generate 'a sense of nightmare or hallucination', I produced a series of photographic images reflecting the unsettling battle of the male subject with identity and mental anguish using photography and the physical manipulation of numerous mirrors. The subject is seen in differing sets of attire throughout the photographic study, the intention being to underline the subject's almost 'shifting' perception of his own identity, namely racial, as well as to encapsulate the idea of an individual harbouring many different personas.Taking this a step further, I used digital media to create a form of 'digital theatre' whereby I aimed to chart the internal battle of the subject through editing software on Powerpoint. Throughout the moving succesion of images, I hoped to merge theatre and media to leave the observer feeling as though they had been given a deeper insight into the subject's internal battle; using the arrangement of the images as a reflection of the subject's thoughts. One of the key ideas behind this project was the examination of the battle between an individual and identity, and  by the end of the series I wanted to demonstrate how this affects all. Thus by the end of the photographic series an image of the photographer (myself) is revealed, whereby I am taking a photograph of the subject, yet a reflection of myself is taking another photograph of me. Though arguably a subtle gesture, I hoped the the impact of the photograph would reinforce the series as a whole.