Fame Gone Wild (2015: An Era of Self-Invention)

Entertainment has become one of the fueling fires of society. In today’s world of nonstop broadcasting and streaming, many begrudgingly trudge through their 9 to 5’s only to live for their few post-work hours of leisure, which have been reserved for this week’s latest items on the viewing queue. Netflix and Hulu have become the opium of the masses. Consequently, this obsession with constant entertainment has now morphed into a shared yearning for the people that are watched and followed religiously through the screen – the celebrities. In this cultural moment, the concept of fame has become a vital element of society. Additionally, this desire for a celebrity often times distorts itself into a desire to become that celebrity, especially within the millennial mind sight. Through my art practice, I address this trajectory from mere observer to active participant within the viewing process. By tracking the psychological effects of this movement, both on the individual and societal level, I question my own place within this pattern of continual obsession and its effects on my perceptions of self, other, and reality. This thesis works as a consolidative piece of writing, fusing my research of pop cultural issues regarding the manipulation of personal and collective identities with my work as an artist. Providing contemporary examples of this issue’s relation to celebrity culture, ranging from Michael Jackson’s sudden passing to the recent demise of the Jonas Brothers, I correlate the impact and role of the celebrity with my own videos, performances, and installations