SELF-PORTRAIT AS A CERAMIC PAINTING

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Size: 50:30cm
Material: stoneware
Technique: reduction firing

Self-Portrait as a Ceramic Painting — Exploring the Duality of the 'Persona'

This project was a personal exploration of identity, framed as a self-portrait in the medium of ceramic painting. Drawing inspiration from the revolutionary 20th-century developments in psychoanalysis, I focused on the theories of Carl Gustav Jung, whose work had a profound impact on my creative approach. Jung's concepts of the 'persona', archetypes, and the use of mandalas as tools for self-discovery and art therapy became central to the conceptual foundation of this piece.

This project embodies the fusion of psychoanalytic theory, self-reflection, and material process. By embracing Jung’s idea of the persona and the unconscious, I sought to visualize the hidden aspects of the self. The unpredictability of saggar firing mirrors the unpredictability of the subconscious, reinforcing the project's thematic focus. At the heart of this self-portrait lies the duality between the conscious 'persona' — the self we present to the world — and the subconscious mind that lies beneath it.

Technical Process and Firing Method
The technical process played an essential role in the conceptual development of the work. To create visual depth and symbolic meaning, I employed the saggar firing technique. This method involves placing the ceramic piece inside a sealed ceramic box (saggar) filled with combustible materials like wood. As the fire consumes the wood, oxygen is depleted inside the chamber, creating a reduction atmosphere. This process triggers dramatic color shifts in the clay and glaze, with unpredictable and organic results.

The unpredictability of saggar firing paralleled my exploration of the subconscious. Just as the human mind is shaped by unseen forces, the ceramic surface was transformed by the hidden dynamics of fire, smoke, and oxygen. These changes created rich, earthy hues and unique surface textures, symbolizing the uncontrollable nature of the subconscious and the raw forces that shape our identity.