Reflection

"Magic mirror in my hand, who is the fairest in the land?"

From Narcissus to the Evil Queen in the realm of Snow White (who in the Disney version stated "Magic mirror [or "mirror, mirror" in the later version] on the wall, who’s the fairest of them all?”), the ability to see the reflection of oneself whilst admiring own beauty may have caused great suffering and instilled tragic outcomes. For Narcissus, it was upon himself; and the legacy of the myth today is the term 'narcissism'. For the Evil Queen? Let's say she certainly didn't win the beauty contest, neither outside nor inside. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder of course. Aside from it being an enabler of vanity, however, it is perhaps a mere curiosity to look at oneself in the mirror or a way to reveal one's 'true self' - as seen in some of the paintings in this collection.

Text by Keisha KR