The landscape has changed. We express ourselves more and more through the lens of TikTok, Instagram, Snapchat, YouTube, Huddles and many more social media platforms as we reflect on the impact of the digital realm on the depth and authenticity of our relationships. We are defined through social media rather than human interactions; where the absurd becomes the everyday, outrage the norm and risqué self-portraits are expected. Yet we continue to crave human interaction and authentic experiences. As much as social media has brought us together, it has also divided us with totemic opinions. In an age dominated by technology, this exhibition takes a closer look at how digital platforms have redefined the landscape of human interaction. As we navigate the complexities of our modern world, at our core, we are beings driven by the innate desire to connect, communicate, and understand one another. Whilst all the artists in this exhibition are unique in their stories and mark-making, they are united by an interest in the great human psyche, what makes us tick, and why we put so much consideration in how we are represented. 

I am often making sense of myself and what is around me with metaphors for self-representation and journey. I think, how can you do a drawing or a painting of love or of a relationship. How can you capture something so vast as love? How do you describe the journey and experience of travel over the horizon line; always looking to the end, stories of the journey, being immersed in the moment, rather than faithfully painting the destination as a representation of place. It is the spirit, emotion and journey that is the artful moment, not so much as the eventual destination. A language of a place differs across geographies as we describe similar and different parts of nature and our surrounds. I am interested in paintings of the edge of the landscape, the edge of humanity, the end, where the land stops and the search continues. But what if the landscape is digital, it is not a journey beyond the horizon line, but a journey that is internal and external both. A journey crafted by one another that takes on a persona all its own.

The digital landscape has turned outrage into a pervasive element of online interaction. The platform-specific features, such as likes, shares, and comments, contribute to the amplification of extreme opinions, creating an echo chamber effect where users are surrounded by like-minded perspectives. We want to prompt viewers to reflect on the impact of this outrage culture and on the depth and authenticity of interpersonal relationships. One of the distinctive features of social media is the permission it grants for self-expression, even if it challenges traditional norms. Platforms like Snapchat and Instagram encourage users to share intimate moments of their lives, blurring the boundaries between public and private. But what is the impact of this trend on self-esteem, body image, and the commodification of personal experiences. By juxtaposing historical norms of modesty with contemporary expressions of self-love and confidence, we can invite viewers to critically assess the evolving standards of acceptability in the digital age.

Despite the profound impact of social media on human interaction, our core desire is for connection, communication and understanding. Navigating through the complexities of the digital landscape we reflect on the transformation of self-expression, the normalisation of outrage, the expectation of provocation, and the dichotomy of connection and division. As we grapple with the consequences of living in an age dominated by technology, more and more we seek authentic experiences beyond the curated narratives of social media. Through a visual journey that spans the evolution of human interaction we recognise the potential pitfalls of the digital realm while celebrating the enduring human desire to connect with one another in meaningful ways. We crave stories, telling them and listening to them, as a content creator social media provides a window to those stories – but are they the authentic true stories of one another or are they a confection. We continue to search for that enduring connection.


Steven Alderton    READ FULL ESSAY
Director & CEO, National Art School