Finally finished this fantasy self-portrait. Unlike previous years, this isn’t a self-portrait where I look back on my progress, both as an artist as well as a person, where I draw conclusions, but a portrait of looking forward to the future.

Some symbolism:

The serpent in many cultures is a seen as rebirth and renewal (because of shedding its skin), or as a vital energy. The connotations are more often positive than the negative view we have been so accustomed to attribute to it (evil, deceiver, etc).

The tattoos are inspired from my Romanian culture and folklore, and often represent a deep connection to nature and our spirituality. Often geometrical in representation, and older ones (towards dacic origins) are more curved (like rivers) and draw more to the idea of fluidity.

Gold is often associated with success and achievement, but here I mostly used it for its lesser known symbolism of unlocking knowledge, of spirituality and of deep understanding of the self and the soul.