Rebecca Locke

we are paper, we are celluloid, we are digital
Performance, photo montage (2015)

Referencing the subculture of ‘cosplay’ and cultural references established through contemporary media, the series we are paper, we are celluloid, we are digital explores the influence of media and technology in defining our identity. The series asks if the mythological stories of popular culture, crafted through technology and disseminated through the media, contribute to shaping our sense of self; or does the flow of information insulate us from the challenges of our era, the real stories.

This self-portrait based series is characteristic of the artist’s earlier work, Brooklyn / Bognor. The images were staged on New York City streets in locations reminiscent of cinematic scenes, echoing the idea of identity, in that this city, the city of New York, is identified and defined globally through film.

The images reference Dutch and Flemish painting of the European Renaissance (Pieter Bruegel the Elder, Pieter Bruegel the Younger) whose genre painting depicts complex scenes, suggesting to the viewer a narrative that is mid-action. In contrast however, to the everyday, once-familiar representations of genre painting, this new series depicts fantastical occurrences or scenarios. In this performance-based series the artist cloaked herself in the iconic and distinctive costume of Star Wars heroine Princess Leia, to walk the streets of Manhattan and engage with the city.