An Infinity Mirror: JD Gondhalekar’s Self-Portrait
This week in Daak:
1. An Infinity Mirror: JD Gondhalekar’s Self-Portrait
2. Love Spooky Stories?
3. Daak Recommends
1. An Infinity Mirror: JD Gondhalekar’s Self-Portrait
The infinity mirror is an arrangement of two or more parallel or angled mirrors, which create a series of smaller and smaller reflections that appear to extend into infinity. Beyond the science of this neat trick, the apparatus is interesting for its visual and philosophical implications. What can this artificially contained reflection, which gives the illusion of unlimited space, tell us about ourselves?
JD Gondhalekar’s self-portrait offers some clues. In his lifetime, Gondhalekar (1909-1981) wore many hats. In addition to his painting career, he also dabbled in restoration, publication design, teaching, administration, and writing. He was also a gifted musician, often playing his flute in the garden of Sir JJ School of Art surrounded by his students during break time.
In this particular self-portrait, Gondhalekar appears to make eye contact with us, a cigarette casually dangling from his lips. Where things get interesting is the canvas, which reflects this image infinitely, like an infinity mirror. On the one hand, the artist is painting this image, suggesting the conscious creation of an identity and personhood. However, art also mirrors real life, and so is the image (or painting) then just a reflection of how life’s forces shape us repeatedly? We’ll let you decide for yourself!
2. Love Spooky Stories?
Check out these books we’ve launched in collaboration with Blaft and dive into the world of ghosts, monsters and demons!
3. Daak Recommends
Read a more detailed biography of JD Gondhalekar and read another Daak on a female Mughal miniaturist’s self-portrait, which interestingly also features a mirror.
Speaking of self-portraits, mirrors and reflections, read AK Ramanujan’s poem on these themes.