Narcissus Love 3

Nina Murashkina

“Narcissus Love” 2026 85 x 31 x 31 cm, ( 33,4 x 12,2 x 12,2 inches ), ceramic vase, underglaze drawing, triple fire, high temperature 1270 ℃. “Narcissus Love” is one of the signature bodies of work in Nina Murashkina’s practice. Executed in the vivid yellow of the narcissus flower, the vase offers a playful and surreal reinterpretation of the ancient myth of Narcissus. At the centre of the composition is a character inhabited by the spirit of Narcissus — completely captivated by his own beauty and mesmerised by his reflection, to the point of being ready to disappear into it. Around him, a cast of humorous surreal figures echoes his obsession, creating a vibrant ensemble of vanity, self-admiration, and desire. At the golden mirror stands a woman in love — the nymph Echo. Set apart from the self-absorbed men surrounding her, she embodies unrequited love and the emotional vulnerability hidden behind the myth of Narcissus. “Narcissus Love” transforms the ancient myth into a surreal and ironic exploration of beauty, self-love, desire, and the complex dynamics of looking and being seen.