The Art of Selling Yourself
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Dates2022 - Ongoing
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Author
- Location Portsmouth, United Kingdom
The Art of Selling Yourself is a satirical art performance inspired by a criticism made on my CV. Influenced by peep shows, voyeuristic references and Virtual Reality I aim to make a visual commentary on the way interviewees are scrutinised.
In the last 4 years, I have given a lot of thought about the complex interplay between personal growth and professional pursuits. I have often felt a sense of disconnection between the roles I present professionally and my authentic self. I find the traditional CV format fairly inadequate and limited, often emphasizing on linear progression and stability, but life rarely follows such a neat trajectory.
Drawing on previous explorations about vision’s phenomenology and its process, the project titled The Art of Selling Yourself is influenced by peep shows devices, One-to-One performances’ artists, voyeuristic photographic references and Virtual Reality digitalization. The location-specificity of Jack House Gallery situated on the ground level of a high street in Old Portsmouth, allowed me to suggest the use of the window to showcase this work in August 2023. The performance incorporated photographic and CGI elements that had been produced during the development of the work but these became props rather than final pieces. The performance itself, consists of me dressing up in 8 different uniforms one after the other facing the window. This 'reversed' peep show is impactful when encountered in person. The subject of the performance, the props and the space, are transformed through the performance, proposing notions of the body, identity, control and life experience using light-touch humour. Performing at a slow pace and in silence with limited deliberate interactions with the outside world established some distance between the performer (myself) and viewers. This format allowed me to observe and play out the dynamics of being seen and seeing others more critically. The outcome took the form of a political and societal statement, creating a spectacle that focusses on the intricate relationship between art, technology, self-representation and perception.
In the past, I often felt the urge to present my best self and adopt different personas to fit the positions I applied for. After conversing with various viewers, I am convinced that the tension between the professional and the authentic self is pertinent in today's evolving technology job market. 'The Art of Selling Yourself' was performed in August 2023 for the first time, I intend to perform again in the near future during festivals. Please find the recording of the performance using the link below:
