Back in 2010 I had the internet ask itself, “Who am I?” – “I AM, No Self” was the response. A digital art project which looks at identity and egolessness through the lens of social media, the project began as a personal contemplation. Born of my meditation practice it was shown for the first time in March of 2010 at the SP@CE224 Gallery in Buffalo, New York. The piece was part of a show themed around the concept of identity.
Back in 2010 I had the internet ask itself,
“Who am I?”
In a way this piece looks at our collective consciousness gathered by social media and asks of it the question, “Who am I?” The response is an endless stream of truncated self-identifying statements spanning the from mundane to the heartbreaking. When viewed in a gallery setting this work is taken to another level as the viewer, standing on a platform or otherwise marked space, blocks out part of the projection; their own silhouette carving out an area that is non-self identifying.
Initially the viewer may be overwhelmed by the endless flow of this collective mind-stream but it is my hope that in the space of a minute or two, the smooth and rhythmic pace of the animation, in concert with the gap visible in their shadow, will both relax and awaken the viewer to feelings of joy, compassion, kinship, and ultimately liberation.
Originally created in Adobe Flash, I recently reprogrammed it in using HTML5, allowing it to be viewed in modern browsers as well as on tablets, phones, and other mobile devices. While the personal screen experience is less impactful than being there I think it is worth sharing online.
It is my hope to show this piece in public again, perhaps projected at a larger scale for a wider audience.
View the project online at http://iamnoself.me
