States of Being III: Beyond the Self

by Olaug Vethal

• Vinyl acrylic on paper
• 48cm by 63cm
• 61.7cm by 77.7cm framed
• c. 1995-2006

In States of Being III: Beyond the Self, Olaug Vethal pushes the self-portrait beyond physical likeness towards a more metaphysical understanding of existence. The face remains present and recognisable, yet the body is incomplete, opening into broad passages of colour and unpainted space.

The upward gaze suggests a consciousness directed beyond the immediate and material world. Vethal’s expressive brushwork allows the boundaries between figure and surrounding space to loosen, as though the physical self is beginning to transcend its own form.

As the final State of Being, Beyond the Self asks what might exist beyond individual identity, where body gives way to consciousness and the visible self becomes part of something larger, unknown and infinite.

This work is currently hung at Spazju A, Spazju Kreattiv, Valletta until 25th October 2026 as part of the exhibition ‘Beyond The Visible | The Metaphysical Worlds of Olaug Vethal, curated by Christine Xuereb and in collaboration with Christine X Art Gallery