SELF i.e. An exploration into the cultural value of selfies

Abstract

This thesis investigates the cultural value of selfies. The selfie is an artifact of self-representation in network culture, and its communication of identity parallels that of historical self-portraiture. This research analyses the socio-cultural context of both historical self-portraits and selfies in order to show evidence that these two forms of self-representation have similar cultural value. Through design-led research, a series of experiments explore the relationship between these two forms. Investigations into the creation of identity in the age of social media, the social context of historical self-portraiture, and the effect of the popularisation of celebrity culture on cultural worth, lead to the identification of common elements between the two forms of identity representation. Finally, this thesis describes the creation of a product that employs these conceptual elements. The output was produced through crowd-funding, a system of modern patronage in network culture. This final output indicates that, beyond innate social value, selfies have cultural worth through what the scholar David Throsby terms ‘aesthetic value’ and ‘authenticity value’, and their economic reflection.