Another Self by Studiopepe for Secondome Edizioni

The Latin phrase alter ego indicates ‘another self,’ a second personality within the same person, with characteristics distinctly different from the first. “We are interested in the theme of identity, which here we wanted to suggest as a search for inner identity, the Self.” The Ego manages environmental stimuli and studies consequential responses. It gives us a structure, but at the same time it cages us, it gives us a view of reality mediated by the filters through which we see the world.
The Other Ego, on the other hand, is the Self. The Self, from an introspective point of view, is considered the core of the person, which must be distinguished from the ego, that is its reflected image in which consciousness normally identifies itself. It generally represents the superior principle of the individual, which according to an esoteric interpretation would bear inscribed the destiny and guidelines of its conduct. While the Self delineates the person in its entirety with respect to the environment, the ego, inscribed in the Self, is the structure that perceives itself and enters into relation with other people. The cage/structure is the Ego. The light is that of consciousness that helps us see our essence, the Self, represented by the mirrored lacquered circle. The wood finishes are those often found inside Buddhist monasteries, cedar wood symbolizing longevity and strength and resistance and has been used for ceremonial purposes since antiquity. It is mirettato, according to the Japanese technique Naguri, while the tray is made of polished mirror copper.