Manipulation (2026)

Manipulation rarely begins with obvious coercion. It takes hold subtly, through an idea, a doubt, or an influence, until it blurs the line between what we choose and what we believe we are choosing. The artwork embodies this dynamic through the concept of “Mind Games.” The head, divided between the brain and the heart, represents the two realms on which manipulation acts: thought and emotion. Inside, a seated figure embodies the guiding spirit, surrounded by thorns forming a crown of energy and symbolizing its power over the whole. The serpent, inspired by its original symbolism in spirituality, embodies evil and the influence that infiltrates this system, while the lightning bolt conveys the force with which this influence flows between the mind, the heart, and thought. On the table, the “Heart” and “Brain” discs extend this confrontation as the two components of a single game. Who really controls the game when our thoughts and emotions can themselves become instruments of manipulation? To manipulate is sometimes to let the other person feel that they are still in control.