IN KEEPING WITH MYSELF
SELFIE VS. SELF-PORTRAIT
Selfies and self-portraits are not at odds with each other, but they often have different outcomes.
By posting selfies on social media, a person gains immediate gratification through “Likes” and positive comments from followers. The image reaffirms the subject’s place in their socio-political space, which is often the one most important to them.
However, because the selfie is frequently shared in highly branded spaces and social networks, its purpose is skewed towards consuming the exterior self. As selfie viewers, we may often be left with feelings of envy and thoughts of consumerism, rather than positive emotions resulting from a sense of self-reflexivity.
The self-portraits presented in this exhibition offer us insights into the internal self and the spaces beyond our dominant narrative. Through a sense of connection with these images, we are more apt to look inward, to engage and even, perhaps, to heal.