User:Mihail Bakalov/Trimester 4/GraduateResearchSeminar/ProjectProposal

2ndHandInformation3rdHandImagination

Intro

The past 8 months I took a look into on-line social networks, how users create content on them, which componets of these platforms are mostly used and tried to experimenting in this field. In my last research I was looking at selfies inhabiting online social networks and presenting a reflection of the identity of the user. How the user creates an on-line personality, transformed from the design of the social platform and established modes of behaviour. Now I want to take a look at the influence of other people upon the self and how they contribute into our on-line profile(as building identity). How people in your social circle in online environment are able to add content and link materials to your profile, with which expanding it, altering and restructuring it. Focusing on the aspect of the internet personalities as comprised of external elements. As a stand point looking in a comparison to reality and at the difference between on-line and off-line identity. I want to explore how the information from my social circles, builds a part of my identity, but also creates a reference for 3rd partys. How a person becomes alike the people he gathers with. The online social platforms add the possibility your friends to add to your personality. The refraction of the identity of the person from anothers eyes, into a third persons view. In Lacanian terms how the signifier represents the signifier for another signifier in the on-line social space.

ADD PROJECT DESCRIPTION:

A visual interactive installation presenting content of a users profile on a social network such as facebook. The content of the profile will be molded into a 3D shape, not a human shape, but an abstract three dimensional form. The size and shape will be based on what amount of content has being uploaded to the profile, how many fields of interest had being marked and how many friends he has. The interactive part will be transforming this avatar, like modeling a sculpture. Physically remodeling the shape of it with your hands. The back end part of his interactivity is done through sending content from a friend of the user, who's profile is being displayed. The outcome would result in total reassemblement of the profile of the user from a third person.

Research questions

How do we exist through the influence of others.

How is our online personality on social networkes is constructed by others?

Related previous projects

SELFIE research EMO

Within my last research I was looking at selfies as part of people's on-line profile as a portrait of the user on social networks. More particularly how they take an active part in peoples on-line selves, what influence is applied to them and how do they present us. Looking at these self-portraits as a reflection of the self, where the user is motivated to create them as it helps keeping the coherence and stability of the social I. The users identity formed and altered by on-line social networks creating an extension of the self. This extension is separated from the real self, presenting an amplification of the real individual and separating from him, forming it's own new look, situated on-line presenting it self and available to anyone who wants to see it. As a part of my selfie research I started working on an experiment called “Get rid of your self”

Get rid of your self

Exploring the alteration of the profile by self-performative actions taken from the user on his profile. The script tries to find a replacement of you which is similar to you taking a look at coincidence of posted links, similarities between number of friends, content uploaded and amount of usual daily activity. As a final outcome this project presents you with a list of people, possible surrogates which have the most similarities to your profile.

Youloop (V2_ exhibition)

In the project from the third trimester I took an exploration in social networks and user generated content. Building a local social network consisting of a video platform for users to share videos recorded in the exhibition space. Involving a commercial element for exploring the motivation of participants.

Every link you click (collecting browsing history in visuals) Every link you click – browsing through the internet, collecting visual elements form every link clicked. Creates a visual profiled filled with images from his browsing history. Exploring the person from the actions he took on the web.

Relation to a larger context

Construction of identity Online identity Online social relationships Others as a reflection of the self

Ed Atkins – no body is more work then me

Practical steps

Literature

Jean Paul Sartre - "No Exit" Tiziana Terranova - Attention, economy and the brain Eric Schmidt - The New Digital Age Sheril Tucker - Alone together Jane Hedley-Prole - What about me? Geert Lovink - Networks without a cause Evgeny Morozov - The netdelusion Olga Goriunova - Databaseness Sarah S. Jain - Prostheticpathology Jacques Lacan - The mirror stage as formative of the function of the I as revealed in psychoanalytic experience