Obscure Mirrors
Photography, 2018
Series of 4 images, Ed. 5+2 AP
UV print on back of acrylic glass
UV print on back of acrylic glass
The motif of the Black Mirror is deeply rooted in human history. Already in Mesoamerican culture, polished obsidian was used as a magical tool, acting as a portal to another world. In Europe’s early 19th century, the Claude Glass was common among picturesque artists: A small, convex-shaped black mirror that could fit in the pocket and helped to frame the beauty of a scenery. The works from the series „Obscure Mirrors“ take into account these traditions of the usage of black mirrors, which nowadays are the screens of our smartphones. Like the black obsidian, they also act as a tool to connect different realms: they bridge the gap between the physical and the virtual world. And as many other „magical“ tools, they need to be touched, demand to be activated, through tapping, swiping, and stroking. These interactions of the human body leave traces of fat and dirt on their cool and sleek surfaces, becoming one in the process of documenting these with the means of photography.
