Contacto visual con uno mismo (sin espejo)
To truly appreciate a work, you need to walk through it and really observe it. This journey involves knowing that some things are not easy to see, and that there is no single truth hidden behind appearance. It is easy for us to appreciate the beautiful when we focus on its surface, ignoring any interpretation we may make of what lies behind. Even the representation of death can help us avoid our own fear if it is presented in an ornate and peaceful way. But what would happen if you focused on looking beyond, without limiting yourself to the decorative? Could you allow yourself to interpret what you see, taking charge of the emotions and thoughts that emerge in you? How long would it take you to find a new meaning in beauty?
Technical, aesthetic and conceptual development
The work presents a dynamic visual experience centered on an eye surrounded by a mandalic structure of rotating squares, on a white background that leaves a trace with movement. The geometric patterns are arranged in a circular, harmonious arrangement, with variations in color and scale creating a sense of pulsation and depth. When you move the mouse, the composition undergoes a transformation: the background changes to black, and multiple eyes appear with a more raw and realistic appearance, which contrast strongly with the initial aesthetics. This change in visuality and the interaction of elements challenges the viewer’s perception and offers a narrative in which the apparent “beauty” is interrupted, revealing a less accommodating and more disturbing visual dimension.
From an aesthetic perspective, the use of repetitive geometric figures and rotation effects evokes a harmonious pattern, while the contrast between the stylized eyes and the cruder ones transforms the aesthetics of the work when the user interacts with it. The transition between the states of the work (white to black background, pleasant eye to “ugly” eyes) adds a level of disturbance, emphasizing the change in perception and the “beauty” of what is observed, a fundamental element in the visual contrast of the work.
Conceptually, the piece is based on ideas from César Aira in his essay “On Contemporary Art” ([2013], 2016), where the author addresses the way in which contemporary installations escape technical pre-production and emphasize the need for the viewer’s presence and journey to capture their meaning. Inspired by this perspective, the code invites the viewer to scroll through it with the movement of the mouse to reveal other visual layers. The work is also a critique of Walter Benjamin’s notion of “aura”, reinterpreted by Aira, in which the idea of a fixed essence or a unique truth in art is questioned. By changing the background and the eyes, the piece challenges the viewer to shed this conception of “aura” and find their own internal interpretation, suggesting that the true value of the work is what it awakens in each observer, rather than any “truth” inherent in it.
Literature
Aira, César. ([2013], 2016). Sobre el arte contemporáneo. En Sobre el arte contemporáneo.
Benjamin, Walter. (1936). La obra de arte en la era de su reproductibilidad técnica.