Face(in)theMirror Format

 In Face(in)theMirror the participants go through a progressive trajectory of self-portraits in drawing:

1.    In the imaginary self-portrait participants draw themselves as they think they look (Fig.1)
2.    In the shadow-self-portrait they draw round the contours of their shadows (Fig. 2)
3.    In the mirror-self-portrait they draw on a transparent sheet in front of a mirror (Fig. 3)
4.    In the glass-plate-portrait they draw and are drawn by another participant (Fig. 4)
5.    A Face(in)theMirror-portrait-photo simulates the (mirror-)perspective in front of the mirror (Fig. 5)   ·        

- The transparencies that the participants use, not only allow for a photo, but also for the superimposition and the comparison of the different portraits (Fig. 6). ·        
- An optional second imaginary self-portrait allows for an interesting follow-up ·        
- Game: what makes your self-portrait unique vs. what has it in common? ·        
- Exhibition-game: how do you judge your portrait expression vs. what do others see?  

In the same way that the portrait-trajectory serves a stimulus is for the debriefing activities, so are the trajectory and activities a stimuli for a philosophical inquiry.

Example questions: , epistemological, esthetical, ethical, ...

Ontological
Which portrait is more real?
What is the relation between the portraits and the original?
Do you have a face or are you your face?
Can I be the portrait of someone else?
...

Epistemological
How do you know how you look like?
Do you draw yourself as you think or as you see yourself?
Is the combination of portraits more true than the portraits seperately?
...

Ethical
How would you like to have been portraited by the other?
How can you draw the other so that he/she doesn’t feel insulted?
...

Esthetical
When is a portrait not beautiful?
Can you draw yourself more beautiful (than you are)?
Is this art?
...

Fig. 1 - Imaginary self-portrait

Fig. 2 - Shadow self-portrait

Fig. 3 - Mirror self-portrait

Fig. 4 - Glass-plate portrait

Fig. 5 - Face(in)theMirror-photo

Fig. 6 - Superimpositions & variations