Cindy Sherman Discovers Instagram, 2017

Manuel Santelices   Emerging artists

This artwork is a captivating exploration of identity and persona, structured as a grid mirroring a social media profile. Each of the nine squares contains a distinctive, expressive portrait. The images feature varied facial expressions and styles, ranging from joyful to contemplative. The artist employs a whimsical use of color, subtly blending watercolor and ink, to bring each face to life with its unique personality. A parrot appears in one square, adding an unexpected and playful element. The organized grid format comments on the ways we curate our digital identities. Hand-drawn icons at the top mimic a social network interface, reinforcing the theme of modern connectivity. The piece is both a critique and celebration of how we present ourselves in the digital age, highlighting the tension between authenticity and performance. This work stands out for its commentary on self-image and the influence of social media.

Movies, TV and magazines are constant source of inspiration. Fame, as fleckring and shallow it can be sometimes, is very intriguing to him.

The worlds of fashion, society and pop culture are captured in the illustrations, paintings and watercolors that the artist creates. In some ways they are the same characters and events that Manuel Santelices covered in the past as a journalist in New York

From the series Art, culture & society Series
Watercolor, ink, gouache on archival paper
Size: 15 H x 15 W in.
Unframed