Image: Kaan Ulgener from the exhibition "Beauty in techno-expressive times".
In 2020, the division between fantasy and reality is increasingly blurred as our digital avatars merge with our real life selves. This fusion of our on- and off- screen personas has had a profound impact on body image and the beauty industry especially, from alter egos in online spheres to minor tweaks and changes via face filters and a myriad of mobile applications. These were just some of the ideas discussed at The Body Digital, a panel discussion held by SLEEK with digital artist Claudia Rafael of Berlin’s Selam X and interdisciplinary art collective Keiken, at The Reed on Thursday.
Discussing filters, bodies and the preferences and prejudices of digital creation, Rafael and Keiken also presented their work in the dynamic space. Across The Reed’s semi-circular, curved screen, Rafael showcased her latest creation, a video essay entitled Beauty in techno-expressive times, which puts forward the idea that our virtual identities are just as real as our IRL selves and how new digital technologies can potentially offer a more emancipatory approach to beauty. Meanwhile, Keiken’s video Feel My Metaverse—a game-like exploration into alternate universes—was spliced and projected on multiple screens throughout the venue.
See photos from the event below:
Photos by Nadia Morozewicz.
SLEEK x THE REED: The Body Digital from Sleek magazine on Vimeo.