Contemporary Western consumer culture revolves around the idealised notion of a unique, personalised self. One of the central ways in which individuals build up identity is via social media. More specifically, individuals make claim to their identity by taking part in various forms of what has come to be known as ‘hashtag activism’ (Augenbraun 2011). Some recent examples include #metoo, #blacklivesmatter, #YesAllWomen, #UmbrellaRevolution, and #JeSuisCharlie. Initially, the rise of this particular form of activism was related to disruptive social movements, such as revolutions and protests (e.g., Arab Spring, Euromaidan, 2014 Hong Kong protests), allowing large masses to become united by common goals and ideals.

Lately, however, the focus of hashtag activism has switched from society to individual. The aims of such subject-centered movements are multiple: to claim one’s ‘true’ self, to free one’s self form the shackles of societal norms, to unveil lists of ready-made selves from which one could choose. Hashtag activism thus becomes tightly intertwined with identity politics and the construction of one’s self.

Through hashtag activism, an oppressed self starts to gain widespread recognition. This explains the widespread popularity of the practice, as previously suppressed groups now gain the agency to voice their perspectives and legitimize their identities. Yet, as soon as the recognition happens, the previously oppressed self begins to be seen with hostility by those who are still marginalized: in ceasing to be a victim, the previously oppressed minority becomes an oppressor. To tie this back to hashtag activism, in such a context, common goals come to be seen as expressions of an oppressive ideological hegemony. Overarching goals and rights are fragmented, and the construction of an allegedly meaningful self takes place via the resulting pieces. Every division and subdivision becomes a potential hashtag; a new, more constrained identity that is more and more exclusionary to others. The entwinement of identity politics and the self with social media representation in the form of hashtag activism could thus be said to bring about hyperfragmentation.

Yet, paradoxically, while encouraging further and further fragmentation, the hashtag also makes the self uncriticizable and undeconstructable. Because the self is introduced as an ‘oppressed minority’ that needs recognition, acceptance, and protection, the distance between the victim and the subject as a whole is annihilated. The subject is pushed further and further away from itself. The newfound identity starts to approach society at large as a site of perennial oppression, injustice, and conflict. Thus, the desire to connect to society and to others diminishes drastically.

When observed with more scrutiny, the seeming paradox becomes quite a logical consequence. In a context of hyperfragmenting identity politics, the primary focus of self-expression moves to smaller and smaller groups. Accordingly, individuals start to contain their identity and themselves in fixed, solitary chambers. These frames become defined with exact precision, their size shrinking mercilessly. Moreover, because of the extremely delimited nature of the frames that individuals put themselves into, the intermixing of frames becomes suspicious. For example, such constructs as ‘cultural appropriation’ or ‘sexual fetishism’ severely guard against any type of perceived hybridization. As Marsh (2016) proposes, the Internet becomes a “series of sealed walls.”

After initial excitement, there has thus been an increasing amount of skepticism regarding the role of social media as a driver of democratization, empowerment and participation (Gladwell 2010; Morozov 2011, 2013). Yet social media platforms continue to play a central role in providing a basis for today’s intertwined mesh of identity politics and self-construction. The hashtag increasingly fragments and delimits our identities, pushing out selves further and further away.

The installation “#framing” aims to address the experience of identity in contemporary consumer culture via reflection and active engagement. The installation will create a context and an atmosphere for facing one’s self within the cultural context that pushes fragmentation of and distancing from the self. More specifically, we will address the notion of creating one’s self via taking part in identity politics, which may, in its attempts to free our true selves, be inadvertently locking us in tighter boxes: the hashtag becomes a frame.

The installation will be roughly 1x1x1 metres in dimensions, with the viewer standing over and inside the installation to experience it (see Picture 1 for illustration, view from above). The installation will be mounted on the floor, with the 1x1m floor space being delimited. This will be done through taping the floor in the form of a hashtag using stage tape. In addition to the taping that will frame the installation, there will be a sign “#framing” along with instructions that state that only one viewer may enter at a time.

On the floor, there will be a framed mirror (roughly 40x60cm) that will be covered by a pile of frames in the form hashtags. The frames will be made out of vinyl; they will be lightweight and they may be moved by viewers. There will be about 5 frames in total, with each hashtag referring to its own hashtag movement.

Overall, the installation will aim to activate its audience by inciting a reflective performance. The viewers will be encouraged to look into the mirror and try to find their self. The aim is not to answer any question, but rather raise a litany of them by playing around with stereotypes both within and outside academia in terms of what a self is, as well as through encouraging individuals to close the gap between self and its representation. Some of these questions are: what is a self made up of? What frames a self and what doesn’t? Where does a self end and other begin? How does technology (and social media in particular) redefine the self? What influence do these developments have societally?

https://research.gold.ac.uk/id/eprint/24965