For my project, I wanted to explore the ideas between the media and its audience. I chose this topic based off Mark’s intro to the course– “Images lie. Or, at least, images help us to lie. Which is to say, they are useful in helping us to tell whichever version of a narrative we are most comfortable with, or is the most expedient, or possesses the greatest – or least – possible impact. In effect, they help us make shit up. However, they can also help us to untangle and decode narratives.”

In present day, the images that we see are loaded. In other words, I believe they have more of an impact on society today than they ever have before. Platforms such as Instagram and Tik Tok can be used to portray a certain image that one wishes others to see. Usually, Instagram users are only posting content showcasing the best parts of their day to day lives, when in reality, that is just the ten percent. Additionally, many users filter their images to enhance their appearance or the image they are posting, leading to a false narrative

I was largely inspired by the American artist Cindy Sherman. I felt as though her work perfectly showcases the idea of filtering and altering images to appear differently. For my project, I wanted to execute a similar style to Cindy Sherman’s, but with a modern take, i.e., adding filters and using digital editing rather than altering myself in actuality as much.