“Login Error” is a self-portrait photography series that explores the construction and deconstruction of identity in the digital age. This project questions the essence of identity, particularly in the context of the internet, where everyone often creates multiple “personas” across various platforms.
www.instagram.com/amanda_mjnssn
In an era where most individuals grow up online, each online profile, much like a self-portrait, is a curated version of oneself, designed for a specific audience. These personas often reflect the individual’s self-perception and the external gaze, shaping and reshaping the sense of self.
The series is set against empty natural landscapes, symbolizing the feelings of freedom, loneliness, and the expansive nature of online spaces. These surroundings highlight the fluidity of identity, suggesting that in the digital realm, identities are as boundless and isolated as the open landscapes.
“Login Error” positions the artist as a creation, not a critic, of the online world. The self-portraits serve as a metaphor for the way individuals curate their online profiles. Each photograph, devoid of explicit clues, mirrors the curated yet ambiguous representations we present online. Viewers, like internet users interacting with a profile, are left to interpret and project their meanings onto the images.
“Login Error” examines how the curated online self can serve as an act of empowerment, enabling individuals to challenge societal expectations and explore multifaceted aspects of their existence. However, these online identities can also perpetuate stereotypes and reinforce a new form of ‘colonialism,’ where cultural narratives and identities are shaped and dictated by dominant online platforms. The project emphasizes that identity is a fluid and ongoing process of negotiation between personal agency and external influences, while also hinting at the deforming power dynamics of digital spaces.
The title “Login Error” is deeply symbolic, representing the often frustrating and sometimes impossible task of proving one’s identity in the digital realm after not logging in for a while or forgetting a password. Just as a login error prevents access and demands validation, the struggle to establish a cohesive identity online can feel equally elusive and exasperating. This raises critical questions about the nature of identity: how do we prove who we are, and in the end why does it even matter?
About:
Amanda M. Jansson is a visual artist working mostly with photography and painting. Her educational background includes a BA in Literature, a MoMA specialization in Contemporary Art and Design and an MA in Art History. She has worked on several projects as a member of a team of photographers and as a creative director for magazines and brands. Her work has been part of group exhibitions in Athens, Berlin, Helsinki and London. As a curator, she has worked in Athens and Vienna. The themes most often reflected in her work are related to Identity Construction and Deconstruction, Hybrid Identities, Empowerment and Agency, Cultural Narratives and Power Dynamics, and Gender and Representation. She is currently working on a self-portrait series and an oil and mixed-media painting project.
Login Error is the first part of a bigger project of “technical malfunctions”. www.instagram.com/amanda_mjnssn
