'Plague of fantasises 1' belongs to Mike Parr's' Self-portrait project', an ongoing series of drawings and prints investigating self-representation. In this ambiguous image populated by multiple presences who may or may not represent the artist, Parr pictorially unpacks his conscious and unconscious selves.

Parr's unorthodox and performative printmaking process is a feature of 'Plague of fantasises 1'. Here, Parr has incised the image into copper plates using needles and an angle grinder, and then printed the impression with ink and carborundum powder on paper with the assistance of his printmaker, John Loane. The carborundum powder lends the final impression an alluring, shimmering quality.