Taking a picture of one's iris and displaying it in the living room: a new egotrip stirring up the world of decoration.

People seem to increasingly cherish their own reflection. This is the bet that new and increasingly numerous shops in France are making, where for a few tens of euros, one can have their eye's iris photographed, then leave with a zoomed-in and framed version.

While the phenomenon is relatively new and falls under the so-called ego-deco trend, a decorating movement where, as highlighted in an article from Le Monde, the host chooses to stage themselves to arrange their interior. The idea is that the owner asserts their style through decoration, with the confidence of gaining self-assurance by living in a place that resembles them, to the point of possessing an artwork that is a true mirror of their personality. Now, one can decorate their home with a large print of their iris.

In 2013, two Germans invent a concept that proves successful: getting their eyes photographed. Childhood friends passionate about photography, they decide to open a small shop, Eyemazy, in their hometown, Dresden, and quickly gain followers. A few years later, after seeing the project's success in major cities like Munich or Berlin, France follows suit with its first store in Lyon in 2020. There are now about sixty such stores in the country, nearly double that of Germany.

The key to the success of these shops offering iris photographs also lies in the practical aspect of the process. In fact, it takes no more than fifteen minutes, from the moment the iris is photographed to when you leave with the print. Seasoned sellers seat you in a chair, ask you not to blink and to look straight ahead. A moment later, the photo is taken: you can admire your iris, which will not be the same as your partner's, friend's, or anyone else's.

Another advantage is the relatively affordable price (between thirty and fifty euros per photo), which can attract all types of profiles: lovers, tourists, city dwellers, men, women, young and old. By having your eye, not your portrait, captured, the idea is simple: keep an original souvenir of yourself. Some even see in their iris a planet, a fire, a moon, anything but an eye: a dream within reach, like a journey into an unknown world.

Sold as both a decorative piece and a work of art, the iris photo reflects a reality that may seem cynical; as a counter to contemporary art, reserved for the wealthy, it demonstrates that it is possible to afford art at a low cost. Unless it is a resurgence of the Eye of Moscow, even if the idea of having the eyes of a parent, spouse, or even one's own gaze constantly fixed on oneself in the living room, like a substitute for a surveillance camera, can be frightening. This phenomenon is, in any case, clear evidence that man has eyes... only for himself."