Self-titled,
series of self-portraits, 2022-
01. Live Works
Nobody knows me
Karlo Štefanek’s self-portrait series navigates the space between
own perception and external observation, in an attempt to expose
the nuanced nature of identity. In this pursuit, Štefanek envisions
identity as ’’a playground where the masquerade becomes the
ordinary, reflections become unrecognisable, style gets lost, and
behaviour bends to the whims of weather.’’This constant metamorphosis
forms the essence of his artistic practice.
In Self-titled, performance plays a vital role, integral to both its creation process and its interaction with the public. Take, for instance, the piece Self-titled, Missing, where Štefanek’s image was displayed across the streets of Amsterdam and New York. At first glance, one might assume that the artist has gone missing, but the irony becomes apparent when the text below the heading is read. The interaction of this piece in the city solicited enough responses from its citizens to then help shape a new iteration for the series (see Self-titled, This is not artist, just some follower of cultural marxism, 210x297 mm, 2024).
Self-titled is a dynamic reflection of an artist in perpetual self-unveiling, inviting viewers into this playground,
as much as it is one artist’s desire to be both the creator and the muse.
Copyright © 2026 by Karlo Štefanek
All rights reserved.