We create our own self-images and it communicates to others by showing them what we perform in our self-images. The great thing about images is that things can be altered any way possible. People can choose to show who they are or who they want people to think they are. Cindy Sherman is one of many artists who played with this idea. In Cindy Sherman’s artwork, she takes pictures dressed in many different costumes. In some images, she does not even look like herself. I believe that her artworks show how easy it is to make an impression on people. You can make people think whatever you want through art, whether it is true to yourself or not. We create identities for ourselves based on the things that are most popular in society.     

 Social pressure is what makes us into something we're not, media too. We see things on television and want to be like that, "An image is a sight which has been recreated or reproduced. It is an appearance, or a set of appearances, which has been detached from the place and time in which it first made its appearance and preserved - for a few moments or centuries"(Berger 9,10). We represent ourselves in images the way we want to be perceived, but we may not always be perceived the way we want to be.

            Art and Media can teach us many things about ourselves. Often when we see something we like, it tends to stick in our minds. We are introduced to new ideas every day. Looking at pictures and media shows these ideas. Even advertisements help some part of creating our identity. Finkelstein writes “It is a form of communication that reaches millions of people and promulgates shared values” (Finkelstein 148). All advertisements are created to relate to a certain group of people, it is up to you to decide whether you relate or not.

We control the images of ourselves but this does not mean we do not communicate who we are. You can put whatever you want in a picture, but there will always be people who think differently then you. Not everyone is going to think the same way. Whatever you put in your pictures will mean one thing to one person and something else to another. This does not mean it doesn’t represent who you are.

Culture is an immense factor when it comes to art and identity. If we look at the different paintings through time and the different cultures they were placed in, then we can see the difference, between them. Frida Kahlo, a Mexican artist, selfies and paintings showed her love for her culture and her support for political causes. Identity shapes who we are, and culture is a huge part of our identity. Many artists only use their cultural background to make their images.

It is things like these that I have learned when practicing the way of the selfie. Some of the selfies that I have made over the course of the semester show my attempts at expressing myself through simple pictures. With the first selfie taken in the semester, I exemplified my inner expressive nature. I have learned that a selfie is more than just a picture; it’s an expression, even if it’s a subtle one. It can stand for your personal feelings and it can also be used as a means to help fight for human rights.

 Berger, John. Ways of Seeing. London, England: British Broadcasting Corporation, 1973. Print

Finkelstein, Joanne. The Art of Self Invention: Image and Identity in Popular Visual Culture.