Daisy stewart-darling
About
Workshops
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EARTH WEEK: More-than-human Stories
Group Show | London College of Communication, London | 2025
Narcissus’ Pools
(2025)
Compilation of audio-reactive pools, and Narcissus flowers built in Touch Designer.Audio composed, produced, performed by artist.
Narcissism is characterised by an over-investment in one’s surface image of self, at the disconnection of themselves to others, and at detriment to their actual self.
I’ve been exploring environmental narcissism and the Anthropocene, which suggests a growing disconnection from our interconnected identities as part of nature, instead extracting and seeing ourselves above it, which is ultimately unsustainable and self-destructive.
In the myth, Narcissus rejects the love of the wood nymph, Echo, and in turn is cursed to fall in love with his own reflection found in a pool. There he pines after himself until he withers away, in his place growing a narcissus flower (daffodil).
It feels like this myth offers a warning in the dangers of anthropocentric narcissism but also comfort that rebalance will happen regardless. More positively, if we can identify narcissism, we can learn to heal. Reconnection through deeper reflection, compassion and love of ourselves can offer healing with our interconnected relationship to our place as part of the world we co-exist with more-than-humans with.
I invite you to sit and have some self-reflection time by the pools. I hope it offers a small space for you slow down if you need it, and find peace in the present that you are part of something bigger, and you matter because it matters, and just by being is enough as a starting point today.
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Related links and articles:
View here
listen here
I also ran ‘More-than-wallflowers’ Workshops, were students made paper flowers to explore the cultural meanings we attach to plants, and our relationships to them. These were added to the university’s upper gallery wall throughout the week to build a collabortive installation of students flowers.