Artist Statement

My art practice draws on individuals’ self-depiction through social media and focuses on ideas surrounding self, ego, social codes, voyeurism and constructed identities. By following various trendsetters and influencers on Instagram, it quickly became apparent the amount of effort individuals put into maintaining an appearance and the extent they will put forth for the perfect post. Through the utilization of their online personification, I create featureless portraits, which aim to question the authenticity of social media. There are a myriad of apps that assist in fabricating the perfect selfie; creating the coveted “Insta pout”, enlarged eyes, pinched nose, cinched waistlines and enhanced busts. Married along with the notion of jet setting to glamorous and exotic locales, as well their snaps posted from ‘it’ spots, what exactly is the point? Are we meant to keep up? And can we? Or should we? Who exactly are these people? What is the relationship between the poster and the viewer?

I feel as though social media, Instagram and Snapchat, in particular, are types of commodified landscapes, where everything, even our own online image can be packaged and sold back to us. And through the process of following others, we have the opportunity to go further down the rabbit hole. Looking at the accounts of various female influencers, there is also a certain commodification and sexualization of women that fold back into our perception of the world and our negotiation of reality.

Biography

Vanessa is a multi-disciplinary artist of Métis and Dutch descent living in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Originally from South-Western Ontario, she completed her BFA at York University in 2009 and MFA from the University of Windsor in 2015 before making the journey East to strengthen her skills as a painter at NSCAD University in 2017. Vanessa has participated in artist residencies at Mahasarakham University in Thailand as well as at the Women’s Studio Workshop in Rosendale, New York. She completed an internship with the White Cube in London, UK at their Bermondsey location and was an active volunteer for the Walking With Our Sisters project at Mount Saint Vincent University. She has participated in solo and group exhibitions in Canada, USA, Japan and UK.