Malak Krayem (FMX 211)

Hito Steyerl's How Not To Be Seen  is like nothing I have ever seen before. It is a satirical short film in which Steyerl uses the method of instructional videos in a way that does not make much sense. Typically, instructional videos are meant to be simple and clear. This film is the complete opposite of that. Steyerl uses an abundance of signs to convey digital art, such as the green screen or the surface on which she keys images. But the most intriguing sign she uses is herself. The female figure she represents is perhaps the most memorable part of the film, as her face is really the only one we see. This is especially because she looks straight into the camera, directly at us, which is typically a striking image when that person is not the one speaking to us. Attempting to understand every aspect of this film would be a headache and a half. So, here is what I've gathered from it in terms of what Steyerl attempted to signify. Steyerl is perhaps trying to make a statement abou...

  As somebody who grew up as part of the generation that lives on Instagram, it was not until I read this article by Margaret Nichols that I realized how wild it all is when broken down and studied. I had never really thought much into it. A selfie is a selfie and it simply is a reason to maintain your social media activity. This is another thing that never really seemed odd to me. It's my normal. However, I am now going to attempt to look at my posts from a different perspective, and try to understand the "why" and then examine whether it aligns with Nichols' opinions or not. To start, let's look at the selfie on the top left. That picture was taking during a time where my self-confidence had finally grown. It was taken fresh after a new haircut as well, which I wanted to share with my friends. I think it's worth mentioning that my Instagram is set to private, so the only ones that have access are people who I actually care sharing any part of myself with. Th...