Acrylic on canvas
80 × 100 cm
The ideal of self-fulfilment is sustained by powerful promises: independence, wealth, prestige, influence and admiration. To attain these, one's relationship with the self is placed at the centre of life. As a result, people construct their own individual worlds within isolated bubbles that reinforce self-absorption while constantly inviting comparison with others.
At first glance, these bubbles appear light and weightless, floating effortlessly through space. Yet they are not places of refuge. They symbolise a society in which everything revolves around self-presentation, self-observation and self-affirmation. The multitude of small circles and particles surrounding and permeating the bubbles conveys the impression of a system that is constantly expanding. Although everything seems open and dynamic, the figures remain trapped within their own respective spheres.
Flowing lines run between the bubbles, stretching like a network across the entire canvas. They connect the individual scenes while simultaneously creating a sense of perpetual movement. They also represent the promises of Mammon: recognition, success, visibility and status. At the same time, they constantly show us what others possess or project, giving rise to ever new desires.
And so new bubbles emerge.
New longings.
New dependencies.
The question posed by this painting is simple:
Has self-fulfilment become the new form of self-enslavement?
How much of our lives still truly belongs to us—and how much belongs to the economic interests that monetise our attention, our desires and our relationships?