self portrait

by kelly kong

Placing the “shh!” gesture next to the Gate of Hell, I wanted to portray the seclusion and exclusivity (gatekeeping, if you will) of the exit out of hellscape within our world. Equipped with modern innovations, communication devices, and omnipresent resources, technology gives individuals the illusion that we have independent power over saving our future. As Han suggests in The Disappearance of Rituals, the loss of community and collectivism consolidates the world, where atomization dismantles belonging to induce delirium. The juxtaposition of Bosch’s indistinct yet assembled groups (i.e., communities) and the self-portrait’s isolated, exclusive stance at the gate reflect the trend of modernity towards pulverization.