How to Stay Sane When All You See is Yourself – Semesterprojekt 2020/21

Strongly influenced by the second wave of the corona pandemic, I explored how instagram filters work as a tool to express oneself online. I was interested in how the lockdown affects our perception of ourself and others, when our social lives shift even more from the offline world to social media. The results turned out very personal, as I was my own guinea pig in this experiment. I made instagram filters and a video in which I summarize my research.  During lockdown, social media becomes more important for many, as it’s an easy way to get and stay in contact with friends and strangers. During these times, a selfie can become a testimony of existence – „Yes, I am still here!“ It can reveal a lot about how a person is feeling, and even more about how a person want to be  perceived by others. Social Media can be dangerous for mental health as it distorts reality. But it can also empower to create a version of ourself that we feel confident with. This ambivalence really interests me. The Instagram filters I created are heavily influenced by the isolation I experienced. When I saw other people using my filters I felt connected, as if this was proof of them experiencing something similar to me. Social Media Magic. ;-) Contact: maschawansart@posteo.de Instagram: @m.acska – https://www.instagram.com/m.acska/