Life Proof I

Developed during his residency in Paris in 2014, Poklong Anading created these images as a commentary on the rise of the cultural phenomenon of the “selfie.” The introduction of front-facing cameras on smartphones and the proliferation of social media sites in the early 2010s led to the global adoption of these amateur self-portraits and by 2013, the term “selfie” was so widespread that it had entered the Oxford English dictionary.

His images reflect his observations of visitors to the Louvre who prioritized taking selfies in front of artworks over the actual experience of looking at the pieces. Referencing ancient superstitions that cameras could somehow capture one’s soul, Anading distorts faces and stretches them into the camera to suggest how this cultural phenomenon has perhaps completely altered the way we interact with other people and our surroundings.