Post 3

            Humans always strive to improve their image, whether it is through their own actions or taking pictures of themselves. We learn from observation; that of others’ images, be it paintings or photos, or how other people handle or portray themselves. We learn to emulate these behaviors, whether it is done intentionally or not. Sometimes, this can be for pure fun and expressions, or it can be for other motives, such as impersonation or preservation. We influence our own images and that of others, sometimes without even knowing it.

            Some alter their self image for the purpose of less-than-innocent actions such as that of impersonation. Much like the impersonator of Mr. Martin Guerre, Arnaud du Tilh, who crafted an impressive display, making himself seem just like Guerre, and maybe even being better at being the original than the man himself. Tilh learned almost everything about Guerre’s life and replicated it to near perfection. However, it is unknown how he managed to learn as much as he did, if it is anything further than listening to gossip about the real Guerre. “Arnaud du Tilh invented a ‘better’ Martin Guerre and this led to the realization that a good performance can produce its own rewards,” (Finkelstein, 2007, p. 49). All it takes is a little knowledge to reinvent oneself.

            Others may dabble in the art of self image to satisfy a particular audience of theirs. Those who are like this can be celebrities or even regular people. Doing this gives the audience a “front-row seat,” meaning each individual of the audience is given the impression that the picture is directed towards them. Paintings and drawings are similar in this respect of using this certain perspective, to a greater extent even, in comparison to the camera (Berger, 1972, p. 18). This can do one of two things for the person responsible for the self-image; subtly boosting their own ego, or, if they’re a celebrity, slightly boosting their popularity and number of fans, and, by extension, increases their revenue.

            Many known artists have tackled art for the sake of self expression and representation. This includes the like of Cindy Sherman who serves as an inspiration for many that aspire to be artists that wish to dabble in self portraiture. From the way she positions the camera to the wigs and clothing she wears in her portraits, it’s no wonder that some feel this way. Some even go as far as saying that they revere her as a god (Sherman Effect article, paragraph 13). She even tackled issues in her portraiture that personally affected her, such as that of gender equality. Other artists that have done similar include Andy Warhol, who cross-dressed in some of his pieces to possibly represent the queer community, and Jean-Michel Basquiat, who did some pieces representing some of the strife experienced by blacks.

            It is things like these that I have learned when practicing the way of the selfie. I’ve learned throughout the course to draw from mere observation and education to make somewhat unique selfies. Some of the selfies that I have made over the course of the semester show my attempts at expressing myself through simple pictures. With the first selfie taken in the semester, I exemplified my inner expressive nature. Another represented my love for my brother as well as for animals. As for my most recent selfie, which is inspired by Barbara Kruger’s style, it represents, as I’ve observed, the all-too-common trend of people being intolerant of other people’s opinions, especially when those opinions involve politics. I have learned that a selfie is more than just a picture; it’s an expression, even if it’s a subtle one. It can stand for your personal feelings and it can also be used as a means to help fight for human rights.