A New Digital

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The past year has universally been rife with isolation, fear, and boredom that has left many of us with nothing to do but daydream. Escapism has permeated our culture in the forms of fashion, art, music and mindset; rather than being confined to a cramped apartment our minds can take us to wide-open countrysides, opulent castles, and mysterious alien landscapes. As a photographer who primarily works with portraiture, limiting my practice to protect not only my own health but also the health of my roommates has made this year especially rough. A New Digital is an eight-image response to these pandemic-related limitations and their effect on my work.

 

Throughout this set of fashion portraits I am able to act out elaborate portrait scenes through the use of computer generated graphics mixed with photos of my roommates and myself. In the 3D space, I can make anything I want, any prop, any set, even any accessory for no cost and no unnecessary exposure to people outside of my sphere. Not only does this collection of images invite the viewer to engage in conversations about escapism and creativity during a time of isolation, but also to reflect on the future of both the intersection between technology and art, as well as the nature of reality as more and more lens-based work is seamlessly combined with 3D elements.