Anime Expo 2023 Hidden Camera

Untitled (Sound: Ruxandra Mitache), 2023

'Where is Your Safe Space? 2' Group Exhibition, Curated by Ruxandra Mitache

Mur+Mur+Contemporary & :DDD Kunst House, Switzerland

(Photo Credits Eliot Bessot)

I employ a hidden camera within the vibrant and bustling backdrop of an anime convention, immersing the viewer in an abstracted exploration of consumerism. The piece scrutinizes the intersection of consumer culture and the passion for anime through a deliberately blurred lens.

By layering three channels with varying transparencies, I create a visual kaleidoscope that fractures and distorts the conventional perspective, reflecting the multi-faceted nature of consumerism. The hidden camera, discreetly angled from the hip, captures the ceaseless ebb and flow of attendees, ensconced in the fervor of purchasing anime-themed products and donning elaborate cosplay costumes.

Through intentional abstraction and blurring, I seek to challenge traditional perceptions of consumption and the spectacle of fandom. The indistinct imagery invites the viewer to question the boundaries between reality and artifice, urging contemplation on the saturation of consumerist culture in our lives. This juxtaposition of opacity and transparency highlights the duality of consumerism—both alluring and elusive.

As the viewer navigates this obscured visual narrative, they experience the overwhelming, infinite crowd of patrons, encapsulated in a perpetual cycle of acquisition and expression. "Consumerism Kaleidoscope" is an invitation to reflect on our relationship with materialism, identity, and the relentless energy of fandom within the ever-expanding tapestry of contemporary society.