Aspiring to Matsutake (2020 An element of the second year Developing Ideas in Art and the Environment module on the course I teach on began this semester with an extract from the book The Mushroom at the End of the World: On the Possibility of Life in Capitalist Ruins by Anna Lowenhaupt Tsing. As we (we, as in all of […]
My recent series “What If?” has been receiving some attention in the press lately, due to the inclusion of three of the images in the Speaking Out Exhibition at Embrace Arts, University of Leicester.
The series is based on the theoretical question of “What if we were to teach our children at an early age about the harsh realities that face some?”
Clearly, we wouldn’t dream of exposing children to such things and my work is by no means intended to be used as an educational tool but by using Barbie dolls, an iconic toy that oozes perfection, I am demonstrating that life for some is by no means perfect. The series of ten images also explores insecurity, loneliness, illness and addiction.
Do we need to document our life in this way?
The trend of constantly documenting our life online is seeping into and affecting our ‘real’ life. This disturbs me.
I have been investigating the trend in our culture today which requires us to be photo ready and the self obsession this brings with it. Perceived realities are getting somewhat confused with the realities we are likely to experience, as society is influenced by and taking inspiration from sources such as celebrity culture and reality television instead of learning to be true to themselves.
My selfie represents a moment of reflection, breath of reality, a rare half a second of solitude in a society in which we are put under constant pressure to be perfect.
Today it seems important to be always camera ready…it isn’t.
A tale of consumerism.
Samantha Humphreys 