Ophelia is probably one of literature and art’s most iconic female characters. A symbol of misery and hysteria she ended her suffering by taking her own life. The romanticized idea of dead and dying women is a long and troubling subject in the history of both literature and art. And its history is a rich and varied one although it has always been considered a taboo.
The aim of this work is to explore the complexity of what has been called Ophelia’s syndrome: the fascination that suicide, and more specifically, the female suicide for love, has always aroused in the artistic imagination. And yet, despite the boldly disturbing nature of this obsession, there is something fascinating, about Ophelia’s floating form. Artists would paint her repeatedly trying to read the riddle of Ophelia’s poetical death. So why are artists so obsessed with beautiful, lifeless women? What could the reasons be for their obsession with a given subject? Might it be one’s person echo from the past? We can never be certain of what artists mean or what their work truly represents to them. Why is this dreadful act present in their artwork?
The subject of the project is clearly an important question of deep complexity which has been discussed by thinkers throughout the centuries. Naturally, the question gives us no possibility of certain answers. The subject can be discussed based on the historical and personal statements. The romanticised fact of the lifeless beautiful woman is deeply embedded in history. Although the biggest idolisation of the subject was during the Romantic era, its echo is present till now. The tragic act of historical figures, such as Cleopatra or Lucretia, could be interpreted by artists as a heroic gesture, or as a gesture stemming from weakness or hysteria. Whatever the reasons it inspired artists to create works of art that are still with us. Despite the fact that we have all these examples of ‘dreadful beauty’ in the arts we never properly got to know what natural beauty meant to the artists themselves. It has both been part of a personal relation of the author and used as a dramatic tool. However, the power of interpretation stands with each viewer and will always depend on each individual's experience and knowledge.
Even though the project has Ophelia’s name on it, I am not directly talking about Ophelia herself or her convictions. My focus is on all tragic women, both fictional and real. The fact that such despair, inevitably leading to a tragic ending, is romanticized over the centuries is what I was interested in researching. And Ophelia is probably the most iconic tragic woman in the history of arts and literature. In my practical project, I try to crystallize the moment before the tragic death giving it a different tone and character, one of affirmation and strength rather than helplessness. In my view this has the quality of an interpretation of Ophelia with increased depth and autonomy; that empowers women instead of dispossessing them of their independence in their final act. It also adds to a realistic interpretation of suicide, that is reflected by the photographic and aesthetic realism, whereby Ophelia becomes a real woman, with her own autonomous desire and will, instead of a merely a passive projection of male desire.
"Ophelia Syndrome" Noorus gallery 2017
