Narcissus in Bloom: An Alternative History of the Selfie

by Matt Colquhoun

We are living through an epidemic of narcissism, or so we are told. Technology has made us self-obsessed, and this tendency may well be the death of us. But is our self-concern not warranted? Rather than an excess of vanity, what if we regard ourselves so frequently and with such intensity because we do not know who we are or what we are becoming?

By returning to the original myth of Narcissus, and the flower from which he takes his name, this book presents an alternative reading of narcissism and the selfie, arguing against a moralising subgenre of cultural criticism that suggests our self-obsession will be our downfall.

That may be so. But what if the selfie was not a symbol of stasis but an expression of a desire for transformation? And what might we become after we have rid ourselves of the cloistered self-images forced upon us by contemporary capitalism?

Beginning in the Renaissance with Albrecht Dürer, travelling via Rembrandt and Caravaggio to photographers and celebrities like Lee Friedlander and Hervé Guibert, Paris Hilton and Kim Kardashian, Narcissus in Bloom explores the rise of the self-portrait through cultures high and low, arguing that it is a sense of subjective indeterminacy that has disturbed us for centuries.

Genres: Art, Nonfiction, Theory

277 pages, Paperback

First published August 8, 2023

Reviews

[Chiraag Hebbar · Rating 5 out of 5]

Interesting balance of art history and sociology regarding individual and collective narcissism, and how our access and display with that relationship has changed over time alongside the medium of photography. Gets a bit wordy at times but does a good job connecting all kinds of dots about our self-perception

[Julie]

yesssss

[D · Rating 4 out of 5]

Un muy bello ensayo que recorre a través de la historia del arte y la filosofía contemporánea la historia de las representaciones del yo y su "cultivo", tratando de construir un pensamiento alternativo sobre la subjetividad a partir de una rehabilitación del narcisismo.

[8stitches 9lives · Rating 4 out of 5]

We are living through an epidemic of narcissism, or so we are told. Technology has made us self-obsessed, and this tendency may well be the death of us. But is our self-concern not warranted? Rather than an excess of vanity, what if we regard ourselves so frequently and with such intensity because we do not know who we are or what we are becoming? By returning to the original myth of Narcissus, and the flower from which he takes his name, this book presents an alternative reading of narcissism and the selfie, arguing against a moralising subgenre of cultural criticism that suggests our self-obsession will be our downfall.

That may be so. But what if the selfie was not a symbol of stasis but an expression of a desire for transformation? And what might we become after we have rid ourselves of the cloistered self-images forced upon us by contemporary capitalism? Beginning in the Renaissance with Albrecht Dürer, travelling via Rembrandt and Caravaggio to photographers and celebrities like Lee Friedlander and Hervé Guibert, Paris Hilton and Kim Kardashian, Narcissus in Bloom explores the rise of the self-portrait through cultures high and low, arguing that it is a sense of subjective indeterminacy that has disturbed us for centuries.

This is a fascinating, impeccably researched exploration and analysis of ego, vanity, and perception - particularly that of the self and the development and evolution of these notions over the centuries. With many examples and vignettes from all manner of epochs, the author successfully builds an endlessly compelling picture of how our enduring love affair with ourselves and our own image has changed, evolved and amplified over time as well as discussing this through the prism of narcissism; it remains thoroughly engaging and well-written throughout. Highly recommended.

[J Earl · Rating 5 out of 5]

Narcissus in Bloom by Matt Colquhoun is an intriguing history of what has developed into our current concept of the selfie. More important is the analysis of why this phenomenon has become so popular and, in many ways, divisive.

I'll admit to being one of those who find the proliferation of selfies annoying. That doesn't, however, mean I am not interested in why, and I don't buy, to the extent offered by many, the explanation that people are simply more self-centered (used in a pejorative manner). So this analysis is right up my alley, touching on theory I've used and ideas I already accept to place the proliferation of selfies in a different light.

Recovering the myth is essential to this for the simple reason the pop psychology usage is widely accepted as both definitive and comprehensive. Following the history of self-portraits and variations on them ties the theory to the concrete, lets the reader begin to see today's selfies as both a symptom of late capitalism and as a product of changing technology (drawing and painting to cameras with mirrors and long shutter release cables, to the ever-present cell phone with lenses facing both directions).

If you are at all curious about why people will risk life and limb to get the perfect selfie, and indeed what constitutes a perfect selfie, this book will give you a lot to consider. It isn't a new idea that narcissists tend toward being more insecure than over-confident, more seeking control of their own life than just wanting everyone to notice them, but bringing everything together is where Colquhoun really succeeds. I would highly recommend this to anyone who either takes a lot of selfies or despises their presence everywhere, and everyone in between. You'll come away with a better understanding of both the selfie and our current society.

Reviewed from a copy made available by the publisher via NetGalley.

[Isabella Uliasz · Rating 1 out of 5]

I HATE this book. Lol

[Colin · Rating 5 out of 5]

A thought provoking book about an alternative teleology of narcissism through the lens of art history.