Curator Statement: 

Everyday, we all curate the way others see us. Our social media profiles are carefully and meticulously curated to portray ourselves in a certain way. The things we post, like, and repost become a sort of “moodboard” or general overview of ourselves and our personality that we show to the world. We may or may not be successful in portraying ourselves the exact way we want to, and our portrayal of self may or may not be true. In effect, social media has caused many people to compare themselves to the ideal, curated lives they see on social media, which is never the whole story. In this exhibit, Parawita Stamm shows a screen recording of herself using an app to edit her facial features on a selfie, exposing the behind-the-scenes of many photos that others then compare themselves to. Anjali Howlett showcases their Instagram printed on large sheets of glass, and by presenting their posts in this way, they imply that their profile is a curated showcase of works. Lauren Schuster presents several disheveled self-portraits, intimately confronting the different ways in which she can see herself and present herself. Alternatively, Monsie Troncosco celebrates themself through curated doodles both glorifying and exposing themself and their interests. Emmie Harvard’s inquisitive drawing of feet precariously hanging above a photo of herself may leave one questioning, similarly to a teaser post meant to leave followers wondering more. Alan Barrett comments on the effects of social media on relationships in real life. Collectively these works create a conversation about how people curate the way others see them through their social media presence and how that social media presence compares to life outside of social media. – Kendall Rogers

Kendall Rogers is an artist and curator from Athens, Georgia currently pursuing her Master’s in Fine Arts at the New York Academy of Art. She received her Bachelor’s of Fine Arts from the University of Georgia in May of 2020. Her paintings focus on people, empathy, popular culture, and the media. Her art aims to utilize the absurdity of the media to its advantage in order to recall the collective experience of the exhausted human existing in the current world. Her curation work aims to make art more accessible and approachable in order to expand the art conversation. Kendall originally became enthralled with curation when she started her project, Gallery on First, with her best friend out of their basement. She enjoys curating contemporary works that collectively explore ideas of self, absurdity, and the media. She hopes for each exhibition to be in conversation with current world themes and events