Introduction My project explores the relationship between mirrors, identity and reality distortion in both the physical and digital worlds. Mirrors reflect how we see ourselves and how we want to be seen, and in the same way that social media acts as a digital mirror, carefully curated identities often mask reality. In an age of information explosion, the internet has become an important channel for accessing information, but the information contained therein is often so embellished or distorted that it is difficult to distinguish the truth from the fiction. Just as the image in the mirror may deviate from the real thing, the content reflected by the internet may not be true. Using the metaphor of an apple and a mirror, this project explores the gap between the appearance and the truth of information on the Internet, stimulating viewers to think about the ‘truth of information’.

Through photography, the project explores the connection between physical mirrors and digital images, using contrasting techniques such as a rotting apple looking fresh in its reflection. It asks audiences to consider how social media shapes identity and challenges us to question the truth behind what we see online.

My project uses conceptual photography as an approach that can go beyond a simple record of reality to convey deeper ideas and meanings through careful conceptualisation and symbolic expression. By setting up the scene and utilising the reflective function of mirrors to create contrast, the rotten apple appears fresh in the mirror, a direct metaphor for the gap between reality and appearance. This approach is suitable for exploring identity and authenticity in the digital age, as it not only photographs the objects themselves, but also expresses deeper thoughts through the images, allowing the viewer to reflect on whether or not the information seen is true, and how these images have been shaped.

Areas of Critique 1.Reality and Representation This project explores the gap between reality and representation, criticising how mirrors and digital media can distort the real. It questions how we present images of ourselves through mirrors and the internet, and how much of these images are actually real and how much are constructed.

2.Digital media and authenticity The project looks at the role of digital platforms in shaping identity and influencing perceptions of authenticity. By contrasting the carefully packaged images on social media with the idealised reflections in the mirror, the work leads the viewer to reflect on whether or not the information seen online is trustworthy.

3.The Impact of Visual Media on Identity This project analyses how visual media such as photography can influence and manipulate our perception of identity. Through the contrast of a rotten apple appearing fresh in the mirror, it challenges the traditional perception of photography as a ‘tool for truthful documentation’ and critiques the ways in which visual representations shape individual and societal understandings of identity.

The desired outcome By documenting rotting apples and using the reflection of mirrors to create a body of photographic work, I hope to reveal the contradiction between reality and representation, particularly the distortion of identity and authenticity in the digital age. Using the symbolic elements of mirrors and rotting apples, these works show how we construct and present idealized images through platforms such as social media. Ultimately, I hope that these works will draw genuine attention and awareness to the effects of over-networking, contemplate the issue of self-identity, and rethink and rediscover life.