"ghostly navel" can be seen as a metaphor to describe the human condition in contemporary society, where the individual is reduced to a simulacrum of himself, a ghost of his own ego.

In this light, the "navel" can represent the center of individuality, the point of reference of the ego. The disappearance of this center, the loss of individuality, can be seen as a consequence of contemporary society, where individuals are subjected to forces that dispossess them of their identity and reduce them to simulacra of themselves.

This reminds me of Jean Baudrillard's theory on the simulacrum and simulation. According to Baudrillard, contemporary society is characterized by the predominance of the simulacrum, that is, the copy without an original, the representation without a referent. Individuals are subjected to models and norms that define and determine them, reducing them to simulacra of what they could be. In this context, the disappearance of the ego and individuality can be seen as a consequence of the society of simulation, where individuals are reduced to prefabricated roles and identities. The "ghostly navel" can represent the absence of center, of reference, of truth, in a society where everything is simulated and where individuals are dispossessed of their identity. This also makes me think of the critique of contemporary society by philosophers such as Guy Debord and his concept of "the society of the spectacle". According to Debord, contemporary society is characterized by the predominance of the spectacle, that is, the representation of reality that masks reality itself. Individuals are subjected to images and representations that define and determine them, reducing them to passive spectators of their own lives. Finally, this makes me think of Jacques Derrida's notion of "decentering", which describes the loss of center, of reference, of truth, in contemporary society. According to Derrida, contemporary society is characterized by the deconstruction of metanarratives, the grand narratives that gave meaning to life. Individuals are subjected to forces that dispossess them of their identity and reduce them to simulacra of themselves.

In summary, "ghostly navel" can be seen as a metaphor to describe the human condition in contemporary society, where individuals are reduced to simulacra of themselves, dispossessed of their identity and their center. This reminds me of philosophical theories such as those of Baudrillard, Debord and Derrida, who criticize contemporary society for its predominance of simulacrum, spectacle and deconstruction.

2975 x 2160 px / 4k mp4 / 1 min / 71,2 Mo / 3 frames

1/1 collection 35/50 #simulacra

a subrealist reread based on the masterpiece by : Odalisque with a Slave - Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres : 1839 - 1840

Original works On view at :  the Walter Art Museum