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Self-portraiture is something one should never get involved in, since it is wrong to lie even though one endeavours to tell the truth.
Ingmar Bergman
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Interpretation

What this quote means

The quote reflects on the complexity of self-representation and the struggle to express one's true self without deceit.

Ingmar Bergman's quote suggests that the act of creating a self-portrait can be problematic because it implies a level of self-deception. Even if the intention is to unveil the truth of oneself, the inherent nature of self-portraiture might lead to a distortion of reality, as individuals often grapple with the aspects of themselves they choose to portray and those they choose to conceal.

Themes

Self-PortraitureArtTruthSelf-DeceptionExpression

In practice

Example use cases

In an art class discussing the complexities of self-identity.

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I don't watch my own films very often. I become so jittery and ready to cry... and miserable. I think it's awful.
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I'd prostitute my talents if it would further my cause, steal if there was no way out, killing my friends or anyone else if it would help my art.
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I want to confess as best I can, but my heart is void. The void is a mirror. I see my face and feel loathing and horror. My indifference to men has shut me out. I live now in a world of ghosts, a prisoner in my dreams.
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To humiliate and be humiliated, I think, is a crucial element in our whole social structure. It's not only the artist I'm sorry for. It's just that I know exactly where he feels most humiliated.
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Only someone who is well prepared has the opportunity to improvise.
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