The photo exhibition " Doppio Sguardo: Riflessioni Visive " directed by Prof. Katharina Lobinger (Project Leader), an Associate Professor at the Faculty of Communication, Culture, and Society, along with Numerous local media outlets have interviewed the project’s creators to provide an in-depth perspective.
Photographs possess a complexity that is not always easy to understand, as Professor Katharina Lobinger explains. This complexity extends not only "to their surface and representational aspects-both literal and symbolic-but also to their role as objects in relational practices". The "Doppio Sguardo" exhibition emphasises the social functions of visual communication and seeks to examine the controversial value of selfies. These images are often stigmatised, yet they play a crucial role in maintaining interpersonal relationships. As "
As Federico Lucchesi explained, the studies conducted between 2018 and 2022 highlighted the ambivalence of meanings attributed to selfies: "We carried out 90 interviews with 30 couples of partners or friends throughout Switzerland, aged between 18 to 91/92. We quickly noticed that many interviewees disapproved of selfies, often describing those who take them as foolish, superficial, or self-centred. However, we also found that some of the most significant images for the participants were indeed selfies". This is because selfies can serve as emotional symbols of shared memories, such as those captured with a partner during a trip. Furthermore, selfies can play an important role in relationship building: exchanging light and candid photos creates a routine that strengthens bonds. "We are talking about photographs that are not artistic masterpieces; in fact, they are often aesthetically unappealing or insignificant. However, they serve an important communicative function, helping us feel connected," added Professor Katharina Lobinger. Recognising the social function of selfies is essential to eliminating the stigma associated with the practice.
How, then, has a stigma been created around selfies’ On the one hand, it is undoubtedly a generational issue, but this is not the only factor, as Professor Lobinger explained: "While it was not the primary focus of the research, it is evident that for the younger generation, taking selfies is a natural form of expression. However, they still experience social stigma when they publicly engage in this practice. In interviews, older generations often express a clear preference for not taking selfies, doing so only on rare occasions. They do this to distance themselves from the negative perceptions associated with egocentricity, triviality, and the excessive importance placed on online sharing".
The exhibition, therefore, wants to draw attention to the affective value of the shots, encouraging viewers to look past any social prejudices commonly linked to selfies. Seventeen images, anonymised thanks to artificial intelligence, are displayed front and back on a panel. Two texts are associated with each of them, edited by Federico Lucchesi: "On one side there is a text with a key phrase, a word that recalls the stigma associated with the image, on the other side the same image is accompanied by a description that tells the reason why that photo is important for the relationship". Often, in fact, there is a familiar vocabulary behind the images, it is "contextual information that is not visible in the image nor is visible to other people, because it arises within the relationship of a couple of friends or partners, and is therefore only understandable to them". Understanding an image, therefore, means understanding the context in which it was taken, and "by stopping at the content, we might miss the true meaning of the image".
Federico Lucchesi also explained another peculiarity of the exhibition: "We employed an innovative approach using AI, a technology that often faces negative stigma. However, we aimed to leverage it positively to safeguard the privacy of the individuals depicted in the images. Although we had obtained consent to use the photos, we wanted to protect these individuals from potential future misuse. Consequently, we used AI to recreate the images to retain the same composition and representation while ensuring that the individuals could not be identified".
After two weeks at Villa Ciani in Lugano, which ended on Saturday, 23 November, it will be possible to visit the "Doppio Sguardo" exhibition at Palazzo Franscini in Bellinzona from 5 to 21 December on Mondays from 8 am to 9 pm, Tuesdays and Fridays from 8 am to 7 pm and Saturdays from 9 am to 1 pm.
La pratica del selfie, tra relazione e stigma sociale, in mostra negli spazi di Villa Ciani (Azione)
’Doppio Sguardo’: a journey of reflection
Advert
