Annie Arnold
I am fascinated by the cultural and social phenomena of impression management, self-display, and both personal and cultural acts of narcissism. I am constantly repelled by and envious of those whose level of indulgence and self-importance greatly exceeds my own.
With access to the different mass media today, (i.e. YouTube, MySpace, Facebook, etc.) participants of these sites are required to think extensively about the types of visual clues they will offer an audience about who they are. From the riches of MySpace and Facebook, I curate images from both familiar and random profiles and create a context through which I can be both an exemplar and a purveyor of "good taste." As an artist and an avid fashion-magazine-reader, I consider myself an authority on all things aesthetic. Using this knowledge as a foundation, I set to work "improving" the pictures through collage, because good impressions are increasingly more useful in today's climate where fame can be instant. I will often visually change a person's clothes, surroundings, accessories, devices, and social networks before then including myself, the ultimate status-boosting accessory.