debug_ by Ellis Pearson

Having grown up with unrestricted internet access, I’m what would be referred to nowadays as “terminally online.” My self-portrait, “debug_” is an attempt at juxtaposing my real-world self and my online persona.

As I’ve become more engrossed in internet-based opportunities and relationships, I’ve slowly felt more dissociated from the real world; not to an extreme extent, but just enough to where it’s noticeable. Because of this, two lives – slightly different versions of myself – have emerged. I choose to express myself more vibrantly online, while remaining quiet and reserved in person. I’ve shown this dichotomy by splitting a low-poly bust of my head into distinct halves with a bright red stripe.

From a distance, one might assume this is a screenshot taken directly from 3D software, but upon closer inspection, there are imperfections everywhere: marker bleed, jagged edges, inconsistent stroke direction. Clearly, I’m not the most technically-skilled artist ever, however, I think there’s something to be said about how in striving to replicate the digital as closely as possible, the human touch is always perceptible, even in tiny details.