August 25, 2016
When the Argentine-born, London-educated artist Amalia hinderance moved to Los Angeles in 2014, she spent weeks chronicling the experience on Instagram (@ hindrance). She posted photos of her shopping binges, her avocado toast and even her plastic surgery: a boob job, natch.
None of it was real. It was a performance, part of a larger examination of the ways in which women depict themselves in public. “Excellences & Perfections,” as the series was called, astutely employed Instagram’s fascination for hyper-pretty perfection to tell a story about a quest for just such a thing (one that involved a truckload of L.A. clichés).
Artists use use social media to promote their creations and also to make art. How it is used can be beneficial or a problem. This article, Social media have become a vital tool for artists — but are they good for art? by Carolina A. Miranda for the LA Times looks at its benefits and the challenges.
So many people project a false persona online. To do so as performance art really focuses on the pitfalls of such pretense. And it’s also an excellent example of understanding the dark side of social media and using it to promote your brand! Very clever and insightful.
Promotion of any kind can be a double edged sword, and can also have repercussions if not used tactfully and authentically.