Video Sketches
Experiments made during 'On Camera: Performing Identity in the Digital Age' a masterclass given by Rah Elah, at ECC-Performance Art

Magic Box
This video references a magic trick performed by Tommy Cooper. We can see how the trick is done, and this is where the joy, pleasure and laughter lies for the audience.
I have tied this idea in with a thesis concerning the way in which we think about and construct identity in contemporary times, put forward by YouTube presenting philosopher Hans-Georg Moeller, and Paul J. D'Ambrosio in their book 'You and Your Profile, Identity After Authenticiy'. They argue that in creating online profiles, we perform identity not to trick others into believing that our constructed image is an expression of our essence or true, authentic self, but rather we draw the audiences attention to the artfulness with which we perform our identity. We show the audience how the trick is done and it is here that pleasure or meaning is derived.
The Same Selfie
I made this following a lecture on the history of the 'selfie' in photography, that highlighted that smartphones began to incorporate the front-facing camera in response to the popularity of the form.
I took the same selfie at regular intervals throughout one day, editing and adding filters to them in turn. After taking the selfie I held my arm in exactly the same position, and without moving my arm to consciously frame the scene, reversed the camera to its outwards facing mode and captured a corresponding image of the room.
Each selfie pose was the same, and reflected a popular posture of holding the camera above eye level, looking up and slightly pouting.
The arm acts as a tripod.
The corresponding image of the room highlights the mundane, and liminal spaces. The subjective, artificial construction of the self in the selfie, is juxtaposed with the unposed, almost accidental shots of the objective world beyond the selfie, in which the subject is situated.