Mirror, Mirror the new exhibition held at Est Art gallery arises from the popular question: “Who is the most beautiful in the kingdom?”
“Mirror, mirror” is a thought-provoking exhibition that explores how we perceive ourselves and how modern society pressures us to project a carefully curated image. Drawing on the famous line from fairy tales—“Who is the fairest of them all?”—the exhibition explores the evolution of this question into the demand for perfection in the digital age.
The exhibition touches on the psychological concept of the “mirror effect,” first explored by Jacques Lacan. Lacan studied how infants, between the ages of 6 and 18 months, recognize their own reflection and derive pleasure from it, an act of recognition deeply rooted in comparison with their caregivers. Lacan's theory argues that this early stage of identification forms the foundation of the human ego. As Sigmund Freud noted, the ego is built upon layers of imaginary identifications, with Lacan asserting that this first recognition in the mirror defines how the self is shaped throughout life. The “ideal ego” remains just out of reach, like an unattainable reflection we chase without ever truly grasping.
In today’s world, social media has had a negative impact on the idea of the ideal self . The exhibition critiques how our self-image is no longer a raw reflection but a filtered, carefully constructed illusion designed to attract validation from strangers. The "mirror" has shifted from reflecting who we truly are to portraying a distorted version of ourselves, shaped by the need to impress and conform to an increasingly unrealistic standard of beauty and success. Through a range of artworks, from multimedia installations to interactive mirrors, the exhibition invites visitors to reflect on the idea of identity in the digital era. It questions the line between our true selves and the idealized versions we display to the world, drawing attention to how social media has transformed our reflections into a performance, where authenticity is often sacrificed in favor of a more appealing, but artificial, image.
The exhibition serves as a commentary on the pressures we face to present a flawless version of ourselves, highlighting how the mirror of the 21st century—our phones and screens—has altered our relationship with our own reflection. What does it mean to look in the mirror today? And how has this seemingly simple act evolved into a complex dance between identity, illusion, and societal expectation?
The artists featured in the exhibition are: Abel Anaya, Ana Juan, Attram, Carol Solar, Clara S Prous, Dafne Artigot, David Trullo, Enrique González, Erick Miraval, Eva Alonso, Fran Carranza, German Gómez, Iván Federico Wenger, La Sindicalista, Melchor Balsera, Parafiliarte, Penélope Clarinha, Pepé Domínguez, Sfhir