Filtering and Identity

This series takes a look at how our perceptions of ourselves and of others are changed through the lens of social media and the digital world. It began with an interest in Instagram filters; how the subtle color changes instantly make an image more beautiful or interesting. Many of us go to certain lengths to hide flaws, normally invisible by others, in order to curate our best online selves. There are those that retouch blemishes, pose in ways to hide a feature they don't like, or take a photo down because of a certain way they appear. It seems we are all trying to create a version of ourselves that gets the best feedback, but is that pressure causing us all t be even more insecure about our "real" selves? Are we constantly

preoccupied with monitoring how our life looks online, rather than just living it? And, if we are frequently living the life of our social media selves, does that state become more real to us than the physical world?

My Process involves taking photos, drawing from a projection of that image, and recreating it through paint or other media. In this mechanic process, filled with many layers, I push the boundary between the real and the idealized. I leave the edge of a color field or the shadow from a projection still visible to convey the concept that this new way of perception, this constantly trying to perfect our idealized selves, is flawed.