Ian Sidaway
Self Portrait, watercolour, 10x101⁄4in (25x26cm)
The selfie is thought to be a modern construct, a way of saying ‘look at me’; it’s a form of self-promotion, a proof of one’s existence. It begs affirmation, hints at one’s experience and place in the world, and is a way of standing out from the crowd whilst paradoxically being a part of it – an obsession that has led to envy, abuse, ridicule, admiration and even death.