The Inner Self

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I hope I am allowed to post this here, because I don't want to talk about this as simply a painting. I might have expresses this in words, but feel the painting is more direct.

I want to ask if any of you can relate to this portrait. Do you think it points to an Asperger's condition, or maybe a normal NT. What does it mean to you?

The man is looking towards a window out of the picture frame. The small vase set in a large space may be some kind of treasure, although not material. The space is obviously significant.




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Maybe the vase represents something special and exotic from his past? There is a lot of space, both temporal and physical, between the man and his memories?
I much prefer to express myself with drawings.

I'm thinking of the vase as the best parts of childhood, the original self. The man desires it, but shuns it, and exists in a bleak space.

I see it as the great "invisible" gulf between who we think we are (our worldly self) and our true self, as the previous poster mentioned.

First time in a long time a painting actually made me think about something. I'm horrible at relating what i'm thinking well, but i'll give it a go.

My first reaction is that it's the old mans seperation from his identity, the vase represents older times, simpler grander times from before, he's looking out the window reflecting upon what he is and what he was/could have been.

Second reaction was potentially opposite, He is a man of the times but does not forget who he is and where ha came from and is content with the combination that came from it.

I would suppose that the differing reactions are from the grey background which depresses me, and the light on his face and the fact he's not sclowling which uplifts me. Interesting dynamics going on in it.

His tie has some red in it; I think he still carries some of what the vase represents with him.

Mhmm, good observation; I'd like to add to my interpretation that it reminds me of yin and yang, where darkness exists within the light and vice versa. Perhaps?

Wow, my abstraction skills suck. I thought it was Joe Liberman and he was sad or something, or just deep in thought. That's seriously all I got out of it.

Hey Joe Leiberman, well that's nice. Sad, deep in thought, most likely.

Now here's how it happened. I saw this picture in my mind's eye and painted it. It was that simple.

This is a follow up to the hands painting. In that you may see an unresolved issue. In the portrait with the red vase I am more at peace with myself. In the hands painting I am looking through a plate glass window. That is the barrier between me and what I wanted in life. That sounds like a full blown neurosis. I wondered how much this disconnect with reality, possible due to wanting something unavailable, would be down to apsergers or something like ADDS.



Shot at 2012-04-08

You painted these!? They are great!

Thanks for the good comments everybody. Ann, yes, these are self portraits.

These are great and make me a little sad inside.... I'm not the greatest at this kind of stuff. I'm not sure if either of these point to Neurotypical or Asperger's. They make me feel lonely, personally- both of them. The first picture you posted looks more like you're walking away from something that used to be of value, and leaving it behind- maybe moving on. I'm not sure what the image is on the vase, though, so I can't analyze that.

In the second picture, it looks like you're calling out or even struggling to find something. To me, it looks like you're reaching for something that isn't there. Maybe something you want but it's too far from your grasp? The red reminds me of blood. Especially in this picture. The face in the photo scares me. It looks cold and empty or sad and void.

The photo at the top has an indifferent or expressionless face.

I hope my views make sense... -.-

Could the vase be a kind of desire?

Or in this case without the glass barrier?

Now we see an experienced person who is steady. Knowing he can turn and pick it up, but somehow not needing to. Instead looking toward something else that is more important. Maybe a kind of Truth that is bigger and more important.

Many thanks for looking Kinme and Videodrome. I think you both have some good insights. It is a Chinese enamel vase with a dragon on it. Unfortunately this photo is too small so a lot of detail is lost.

This was a time in my life when I had more than enough friends. The hands painting shows a desperate longing with a plate glass window between me and what I want. That had been a life long feeling. In the vase painting I have in part resolved the issue but am still looking for what is to be. You will appreciate that I had to resolve certain things before being able to move forward.