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Superbiaa mythological tale about vainglory
… or the seventh deadly thing
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Vainglory is unjustified boasting.
Pope Gregory I, in the year AD 590, viewed it as a form of pride, so he folded vainglory into pride for his listing of sins.
The Latin term gloria roughly means boasting, although its English cognate—glory—has an exclusively positive meaning. Historically, vain meant futile, but by the 14th century, it had come to have the strong narcissistic undertones of irrelevant accuracy that it retains today. As a result of these semantic changes, vainglory has become a rarely used word in itself and is now commonly interpreted as vanity.
In Ovid’s most famous reference to vanity, Echo, a nymph, falls in love with a vain youth named Narcissus, the son of the blue Nymph Liriope of Thespia. Our interpretation starts from here and develops its own story.
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photography & production management // Marco Joe Fazio
art director & wardrobe stylist // I am Queenie
make-up artist & hairstylist // Anita Brulee
prosthetic artist // Gemma Dillon
models // Lauren Broadhead, Elia Misesti, Danish Wakeel
&
a special thanks to Marcio Morais for his graphic design contribution
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Narcissus in a mirror… or the seventh deadly thing
A Reflection of Superbia
In the verdant embrace of Thespia's lush valleys, there lived a youth named Narcissus, son of the enchanting Liriope. His unparalleled beauty ensnared the heart of the nymph Echo, whose love for him knew no bounds. Yet, Narcissus, entangled in a web of self-adoration, remained oblivious to her affections, lost in the depth of his own reflection.
Contrary to the tragic fate penned by Ovid, Narcissus did not meet his demise upon first glimpsing his image in the serene waters. Fate breathed life into his reflection with a crueller twist, creating a second Narcissus, a perfect embodiment of flesh and blood.
This twist of fate introduced an irony most bitter, as both Narcissuses found themselves entranced by the same woman, Echo, igniting a rivalry fuelled by unrequited love and vanity.
Echo, her heart once shattered by Narcissus's indifference, now found herself the object of an intense battle for affection. Despite their fervent promises and desperate pleas, she rejected their advances with a steadfast resolve, her heart sealed against their vain pursuits.
In her rejection, Echo wove a delicate mockery of Narcissus's self-love, mirroring his arrogance with a poignant elegance.
In a final act of liberation, Echo decided to confront the chains of vanity that bound the Narcissuses. Approaching the ethereal cages that imprisoned their souls, she unlocked the doors, setting free the spirits ensnared by their own reflections. As the cages swung open, the two Narcissuses dissolved into the ether, leaving behind nothing but a flickering flame, a symbol of their undying vanity and the eternal flame of superbia.
This tale, reimagined through Marco Joe Fazio's lens, becomes more than just a story; it is a visual symphony that explores the depths of human emotion, the destructive nature of vanity, and the redemption found in the release. "Narcissus in a Mirror" stands as a testament to the power of photographic storytelling, weaving together the threads of myth and emotion into a narrative that resonates with the soul.