We often try to present ourselves in the best light, but this is especially the case with selfies we post on social media. Most people want them to look perfect when shared on the internet, so they turn to tricks like photoshop and filters in order to get the desired result. This obsession with selfies and the way we project ourselves on social media is what inspired New York City-based artist Tigran Tsitoghdzyan for his acclaimed series of portraits titled “Mirrors.”
As part of the series, Tsitoghdzyan paints hyper-realistic portraits that look like black and white photographs. They feature subjects that cover their faces with translucent fingers, trying to hide their imperfections and project an idealized version of themselves.
“As an observer and someone who works with portraiture, I had to react to the selfie phenom. It took over social media, and the filters era began. I was fascinated by the desire of self-exposure, but it became very controlled, so I started to paint filtered female portraits the way they want to be seen by others,” Tsitoghdzyan explained in a chat with Rain Magazine.
Paintings from the Mirrors series have been a great success in the art world because of their stunning execution and commentary on modern society. Most of them found their home in private and public art collections but can still be seen on Tsitoghdzyan’s official social media accounts. Check out more of them below.
