Identity Unknown

Identity can be visualized and conveyed in different mediums therefore, for this approach I have used a combination of intricate portraits placed within one another. The abstract nature of the designated layout represents the complex relationship between being and technology, this complexity is in correlation with an individual’s self and identity in this digital age. Self and identity is a common query as they are constructed ideology’s for how a person intends to be seen as in society. However, the reality of this is not always as honest.

Along with reflecting self and identity, Identity Unknown’s images are designed to look like glitches. Glitches normally represent broken technology. Although for this, the glitches are created to insinuate that society is the one breaking, with people having multiple personas over digital media. My ideology behind using the glitches has been developed from reading ‘Glitch Manifesto’ by Legacy Russell, where she has contemplated glitches spilling out into reality. Along with this each constructed image has a supporting piece, these are passport photos to represent the change in times and how identity used to be only a simple photo.

The main development of this project has been through experimentation and making connections between the three main elements of the theme. In the essence of digital age, I have made all these experimentations digital, using standard editing software. For self and identity, I believe the main construct of these is the face as this is commonly associated with someone being recognized. Through struggling to find a way to incorporate these I looked into similar photography projects, such as just self and identity that I could then make my own by including digital age.

Research into Christoffer Relander inspired imagery has made a clear impact on the way that I have composed my work. This connection was through self and identity with relation to man and nature in Relanders project ‘We Are Nature – 2020’. This project was similar to the theme I have selected and so became an interest of mine. Looking into the context of why these images were created developed the idea of included glitches within my work. This is to show how people are impacted by technology for not only the good but the bad. Another photographer that I have analysed is Max Siedentopf and his project ‘Passport Photos’. In this project photos are taken of people doing seemingly random things, however, once the photo is cropped to just the head these images act as just a simple passport like photo. This is presented by having these photos side by side showing the difference, this concept is something that I really liked and have incorporated as part of my own project.