Between Being and its Semblance is an ongoing series of paintings,
initiated in late 2020.

The series has been developed in relation to close studies of the
concept of The Mirror Stage. This is considered a stage in the
psychological development of the self, in which one’s material being
breaks down and fragments, in order to (re)build.

The theory of The Mirror Stage was conceived by psychoanalyst Jaques
Lacan, and later developed by feminist psychoanalyst and philosopher
Julia Kristeva. The theory is based around the process of establishing
a concept of self - through forming a connection between the self and
the physical body; becoming aware of where one’s own body ends
and where the body of another begins. Through identifying one’s own
movements in a (mirroring) surface, an understanding and definition of
one’s self is outlined. It is a process of fragmentation and of
unity; as we are confronted with our own materiality - moving from
fragmented body parts into a united self.

The Mirror Stage places us between subject and object positions.
In the process we excist between being subject and object - we are
neither and both. The mirror itself also plays a role as being
in-between subject and object; situated on the border, which it both
erases and underlines.

The title of the series emanate from Lacanian ’screen theory’ -
originally from Lacan’s essay on The Mirror Stage, and later developed
into a Marxist-psychoanalytic film theory linked to, for example,
the feminist film theories of Laura Mulvey - all revolving around
identification through a ’mirror image’. Hence, The Mirror Stage
opens for further readings of identification and representation.