‘If you make sure you’re connected
The writing’s on the wall
But if your mind’s connected
Stumble you might fall’
(Hallam, Birch, Casey, Finch, 1992)*
Emojis are synonymous with social media and types of modern communication. I considered these as a representation of connections between people, as well as their use as visual language. Painted on my face like a clown they reveal other emotions behind the mask. This is intended to question whether these artificial, often very superficial connections, through social media and the virtual world in general, are dehumanising. There is at least a strong case for de-individuation through these generic forms of language. Paradoxically, I am reclaiming some appearance of individuality by merging my face with specific emojis, yet becoming de-individuated by effectively adorning a mask, obscuring my identity. People select emojis to express how they are feeling, or in order to elicit an emotional response to something. These are fixed and standardised though. They may be masking other emotions or states of mind. This may be true in the real world, as well as the virtual. I just wonder whether it is amplified further in the latter, particularly within the framework of social media. So, are we becoming less social in real terms? I also wanted to express a depth and range of emotions, not explicit or exclusive to a fixed visual marker selected from a limited range of options. These Polaroids link the digital and the pre-digital, while also pointing towards a technology which garnered a fascination with the instant image.
*Hallam, N, Birch, R, Casey, H, Finch, R. (1992) Connected. In: Connected. London: EMI Music Publishing Ltd.
Matt E Lewis 