Parthenogenesis by gyaban on DeviantArt (original) (raw)

Have you ever wondered what part of you is really you? I mean, we all are the sum of various influences (parents, brothers, sisters, friends, wife, husband, kids, colleagues, etc.), and of various experiences (most of which we did not choose in the first place), but does some kind of personal core exist? Is there something inside you that is purely your own being? And if so, would it even be possible to identify it, to store it in some way, to clone it or transmit it?

I was day dreaming about that, when the idea of this recursive image appeared in my mind. I thought a steampunk environment would fit the project nicely. As usual, I started by drawing some rough sketches, which proved to be very useful here (preparing the appropriate position in order for the multiple photos to align well was important). Then I disguised myself with a hat and goggles I've bought a long time ago (for another project that I've never finished), and shot a self portrait as well as all the other items: flame, copper tubes, steam, and so on. The editing part was fun, because I was unsure of the result until the very last steps: I spent 90% of the time on the main character, and all the other copies were created at the end. It felt a bit like a little surprise Thanks for watching!