Selfies: The Latest Art Platform

The definition of “art” is endlessly expanding. However, that is the very nature of art: as the world advances and as human thought evolves, art continually takes on different platforms. Art traditionally encompasses sculpture, architecture, dance, music, painting, poetry, literature, and the like. In the modern day, photography, video, computer art, animation, television, and video games have been added to the list. What is the newest accepted addition to art? Selfies.

According to Allan Kozinn’s article, “Celebrity Selfies as Art,” an exhibition consisting solely of celebrity selfies will be open in the lobby of the Chrysler building. This exhibition will be opento the public starting October 28^th. John Baldessari, the lead artist of the exhibition, has applied artistic alterations to the self-taken celebrity photos. For example, in a selfie taken by Miley Cyrus, Baldessari has made the image black and white and added a splash of purple and blue. The artist has taken similar approaches in other photo alterations by playing with the contrast between color and monochromatic tones. He has also utilized the sharp edges of geometric shapes to nicely juxtapose the far less harsh lines present inthe original celebrity snapshots.

Some may be opposed to labeling the thoughtless task of taking selfies as an art form. However, at the very center of all artistic imagery, there lies one purpose: communication. Whether it be Leonardo da Vinci’s Mona Lisa, Robert Frost’s poem “The Road Not Taken,” Nathaniel Hawthorne’s novel The Scarlet Letter, or Bahar Behbahani’s short film “Suspended,” all artworks aim to communicate a message to their audience. As clearly demonstrated by the mobile app, Snapchat, selfies are no exception.

Because art so easily adapts to our evolution of culture, showcasing selfies in such a creative manner seems to be the natural next step in art history.

10 Responses to "Selfies: The Latest Art Platform"

ehughes1 says:

October 25, 2014 at 5:02 pm

As you stated, “as the world advances and as human thought evolves,” art is evolving to take on different, nontraditional forms, such as selfies. It’s so interesting to see art take on this platform; and in my opinion, it was only a matter of time. With mobile apps like Snapchat and Instagram, it has made it increasingly easier for users to take, modify, and share selfies with followers. I like how conceptual artist John Baldessari has gone a step further in this art form by altering the images’ contrast and color tones and adding pops of color to make the selfies more visually interesting. I think I’ll stop by the Chrysler Building and view this exhibit, taking selfies of my own in front of the prints. When artists like Baldessari are recognized for making pieces like these, I feel more confident in my creative abilities and my art actually being considered art.
Beatrice Margolin says:

October 25, 2014 at 9:32 pm

This exhibit really serves as a testament to the evolution of art. Our culture is rapidly changing and younger generations are not as connected with art from different periods. If we let art evolve along with culture and make that change more mainstream, we might find it to be a successful formula and work to bridge the gap between younger people and the art world. Like you said, if art is about communication, then why not acknowledge and respond to modern society? Selfies are definitely a large part of youth culture right now and celebrities are at the front lines of that movement, so it could garner lots of interest. Modern art in general is often misunderstood, but I think placing today’s pop culture into art is an intriguing thing to do and can turn the generic definition of art on its head.
krystalau says:

October 25, 2014 at 9:51 pm

I am not the biggest fan of selfies, but I think this is a really cool idea. Selfies became such a big part of everyday life just within the last few years, and I do agree it can be considered art. I am actually surprised that this time of art installation is finally coming into play. I actually would have thought something like this would have popped up sooner. I like how the artist tweaked the photos slightly to make the pictures pop more. I think it makes a big difference, compared if he left the originals untouched. I agree with Beatrice, that this can actually spark the interest of the younger generation who do not appreciate art as much. Like we discussed in class, art is something that communicates and provokes people’s emotions, and even selfies can do that. I hope I have the chance to see this art installation.
Bethany Freynk says:

October 26, 2014 at 11:19 am

I agree with your opinion that Selfies deserve a spot in art history due to their current prominence in society. The difference between the way a person looks in a selfie and in a photograph taken by another person is large. Selfies are significantly more personal as the photographer is also the subject and can control when to take the picture, with what kind of lighting, and at which angle. These kinds of pictures are also usually much closer to the face than others. Thus, a selfie is like a photographic self- portrait of the 21st century. It is fascinating how art has evolved from spending hours replicating an image in the mirror with paint to clicking a button on a phone and capturing the exact scene that is behind the lens. I believe that this exhibition will be intriguing, as I prefer to see this kind of contemporary photography to any abstract expressionistic works.
anandpoonai says:

October 26, 2014 at 1:10 pm

My first reaction to your title was, “How are selfies a form of art?” After reading your response and annotating your article, I realized how such a simple task of taking a selfie can create the most complex forms of art. In this day and age, culture is expanding and so many diverse forms of communication are present. Taking selfies may be seen as an immature act of the younger crowd, but the way artists transform selfies into a form of art is pretty ingenious. When you said, “as the world advances and as human thought evolves,” not only did I agree, but it made me think of all the innovative ideas that have taken place over time. To most people, selfies is just a simple task, but for all we know, selfies can end up being a form of art that will be renowned in the later generations. Great article and post!
Sydney Marino says:

October 26, 2014 at 10:20 pm

I do agree taking a selfie is a form of art, because, to me at least, art is anything. Photography is art therefore a selfie can be translated into art. However, I feel the alteration of celebrity selfies shouldn’t be a huge exhibit. I feel like I can go on to instagram and find some girl whose taken a selfie and added some filters. It feels like the same thing. Especially with that Miley Cyrus photos. It’s like when someone splatters paint onto a canvas and everyone is so amazed. So amazed, in fact, that piece of art sells for a few million. A two year old could do splatter pain like that. Same thing with a 15 year old girl with an iphone and instagram. It is interesting, but at the same time I wouldn’t go pay and see that.
Isabel Vulakh says:

October 26, 2014 at 11:28 pm

The title of this article itself grabs your attention. Are “selfies” a form of art? It really is up to the individual to decide. I know art can take many different forms, but I don’t necessarily agree that selfies are one of them. Selfies are synonymous with our technology age, and so it is no surprise that most people take selfies every day and that they have become a part of everyday life. We take them, we ‘like’ them on Facebook and Instagram, and occasionally read about scandalous ones. Considering selfies as art, rather than a form of habit, is pushing it in my opinion. Sure, it might be cool to see celebrity selfies hanging in the Chrysler Building, but I personally would not go out of my way to travel there and look at the exhibit. If I really wanted to see celebrity selfies, I can always check Instagram.
holdencoreystein says:

October 27, 2014 at 6:53 am

I’m not sure if a selfie is the first thing I think of when it comes to art, but there is a reasonable case being made in this blog post and NYT article. Sometimes people take selfies because they’re with someone famous or because they want to celebrate Selfie Sunday but selfies, I feel, do have potential to mean more than what the picture appears to be at face value. Photo artists, such as Baldessari, can turn ordinary selfie images into more refined and deeper art works. I don’t know if the selfie fad is going to stick around much longer, but while it’s here, we might as well make the most out of it.
christosbakalexis says:

October 27, 2014 at 12:55 pm

Hey, whether you love selfies or hate them… you have to respect a valid argument. Selfies can indeed be considered the latest art form to hit the scene. Many forms of art were rejected when first released, just as selfies are constantly criticized and ridiculed. My only reservation about the exhibit is that its only celebrity selfies that are showcased. Selfies are not exclusive to celebrities, what makes them so addicting is that anyone and everyone can take a selfie and edit it as a form of art. Very interesting article though, I must say!
stephenesses says:

October 27, 2014 at 1:11 pm

I think the ideas of selfies being are it pretty amusing to me. I am not a frequent selfie-taker, and am not a big fan of social media in general, but with many friends who can’t stop taking them, the message may at times get lost. Although they may be used to convey a message, some people take to many for them all to have a message behind them. They can become a form of art, but it is difficult for me to accept that, as I’m not really a fan of them.

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