Undarga Tserendorj
Untitled
Class of: 2029
Major: Communication Design BFA
Medium: Watercolor on Bristol Paper
Faculty: Beau Bree Rhee
Prompt: Our Final Project in Integrative Studio 1 turns to a very complex and intimate subject: the Self, or the Selves. In this project, we will have a kaleidoscopic view onto the expression of self & ourselves. The self: a complex, shifting set-of-parts & elements that comprises who we are, our identity. How do we encounter our self? How do we express our self? How does the self evolve over time, from the past, to the present, to the future? How do we continually renew ourselves throughout life as we evolve? Who/what are the many people and experiences we embody with us, that shape us? How is our essential self perceived by others vs. how we perceive ourself?
My work intends to show the world I live in that is filled with the self. I am in a room full of myself or my reflections in the mirror, yet I still have my phone camera out as seen in the back.
I was inspired by the Met studies I did, especially the Self-Portrait with a Model by Iba Ndiaye. The portrait is almost monotone with muted green and blue, evoking the feeling of sadness and blurriness. Thus, for my self portrait, the color blue is the main part of my palette.
One of my references, the greek mythology, Narcissus is known for falling in love with his self in river reflection. As one of the tellings of the story says, as Narcissus was reaching for the reflection, he fell into the river and drowned to death. In the end, his self obsession led to his self extinguishing. He saw the river as himself and even thought Echo’s cries was him echoing back to himself when he should be seeing the river and hearing Echo.
Oftentimes, I, too, seem to be obsessed with the self excessively. When I fill the world the self, it causes me to miss the world as it is. I forget to enjoy life and give too much attention to my appearance, checking my face on every little reflection on glass, window, and mirror to make sure I look ‘fine’. But, I might just end up very much like Narcissus.