Mirror, Mirror on the Wall: Who’s the fairest of them all.

Spanning literature and the arts at large, mirrors represent an intricate iconography of the self, possessing the natural capacity to duplicate reality and display replicas of a moving body. It is through mirrors that we are able to perceive ourselves in candour; what one views through a mirror is bare, naked, and vulnerable. In art, mirrors amplify the duality of reality and illusion, restraint and chaos, ego and self-hatred, balance and asymmetry, vanity and depth of mind. Photography, in particular, employs mirrors as props to promote this perceptive exploration of the self. 

Operating in tandem with the technique of mirroring, perspective is among the most critical elements of photography. By directing the viewer’s gaze to specific aspects of an image, the intention of a photographer is transmitted through the perspective the image takes on. In this particular photograph, the surface of reflection is constrained within the bounds of the knife, illustrating only fractions of the lady’s eyes, nose, and lips. The reflection becomes the first object within view, connoting a sense of intimacy. Positioned against the backdrop of dainty plates and cutleries, the reflection of the lady slides into the photograph, painting an overarching sense of femininity and imploring viewers to focus on the seductive redness of the lips and the curiously tilted head. 

 Marine Billet, What is Beauty? (2019)

To another effect, mirrors operate as an expansion of the self. In capturing both the actual embodiment of the individual and her reflected self, this photograph connotes a sense of longevity through the technical application of the Droste effect. Effective in conveying a sense of imprisonment and internal gravity, the Droste effect, otherwise fancily referred to as mise en abyme, describes a particular type of recursive, surrealist depiction in which a smaller image is framed within a larger replica. Here, the mirrors appear in an eternal chain, all featuring the girl in the same stance. Yet, it is only in the first mirrored reflection that her face and her mental perturbation are exposed. The series of winding reflections of her back only enhances the prevailing solitary tone of the image.

Jacques Rivette, Out 1, 1970

This usage of mirroring is particularly fascinating as it relies on multiple differing surfaces: one in which the man stands in front of, the one in which the lady’s face is positioned in front (also the surface  in the background), and one that the man holds up on the side. The multitude of mirrors all reflect rather similar angles of the lady, under similar levels of illumination. In one perspective, the various mirrors may be interpreted as a metaphor for narcissism and vanity. Yet simultaneously, they  also represent the complexity of perspectives; in the sense that by perceiving the same object (in this case, the lady) through different lenses, we may derive conclusions characterised by nuanced distinctions — evidently, each mirror exposes and places in focus a different part of her face and shoulder. 

Matthew Morrocco, RUTH PATIR, 2017

Despite its conventional role in reflecting reality or the authentic self, mirrors may also convey the distortion and disorientation of the mind. In this sense, the reflection is less logically poised, but perhaps twisted and elongated, creating the graphic manifestation of mental convolutions. In this photograph, the multi-dimensional reflection conjures the image of psychosis — a woman in the midst of a rampage. The absence of a framed mirror becomes a part of the psychosis, in the sense that the woman’s anxiety transcends the limits of her mind and her body, evading into an all-consuming experience — one that is reflected in the boundlessness of the reflection. 

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Ira Cohen, Mylar Chamber, 1969

Mirrors are also frequently used in fashion photography as a means of elevating glamour by introducing complex angles to display clothing pieces, instantly impressing a bold statement upon first glance. The visuals of this particular piece are entrancing because of their kaleidoscope-esque effect, creating an eccentric pattern of geometric symmetry. Yet, this is counterbalanced by the slanted angle the photographer devises, introducing a contorted duality to the viewer’s perception of the model. Above all, the brilliance of this photograph lies in its use of the mirror frames as divides to  display the shoes, the clothing, and the face of the model, impelling viewers to be equally enraptured by all elements of the extravaganza. 

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Elizaveta Porodina, Mirror Images

Depending on the intentions of the artists, mirrors can be used as expressive tools to convey meaning within art. As a symbol of beauty, narcissism, disillusionment, and candour, a mirror offers kaleidoscopic utility for artists and easily lends itself to introspective interpretations within a photograph and beyond. 

(Cover Image: Jacques Rivette, Out 1, 1970)