ARE SELFIES ART?

I have recently found an article which talks about an exhibition that is going to be held in the London's Saatchi Gallery and which will include selfies combined with other kind of portraits considered art, like Van Gogh's or Rembrandt's self-portraits.

I don't really know what people think about it, but I'm sure there is going to be people who will be against this exposition, saying that selfies are not art at all and can't be compared to works by artists like Van Gogh. But, from my point of view, it is an original idea.

As it says in the news, nowadays it is very common to see people taking selfies, anywhere and anytime, so I think we can all agree in saying that selfies have become an all-time present phenomenon in our lifes. And also, whether we like it or not, there are some selfies that have become very influential or famous, so much that are almost like icons. For example, the famous selfie some actors took at the Oscar's ceremony in 2014, or some selfies taken by celebrities or influencers that have become viral. Also, I think selfies can also be a kind of art. I don't think the last Kim Kardashian's selfie can be considered art, but I do think that as photographs by photophers are considered a way of expression and even a source of beauty, selfies can also be extremely creative and became the same: a way to express feelings, points of view or just something beautiful. That's why I think it is not such a harebrained idea to feature selfies in an exhibition.

Maybe the controversy lies in combining them with classical self-portraits created by recognized artists. About this, I don't think it is a bad idea, as long as people don't mix the concepts up. The exhibition needs to be clear enough to make a difference between the two types of self-images and to highlight that those are two different ways and types, which can't be compared. But I think it is a good idea to combine selfies and portraits in a same exhibition, because it is a way to show the contrast between the world nowadays and how it was years and centuries ago. And it is a shocking contrast.


Saying this I don't mean that selfies need to be placed in the same level as self-portraits by artists, because I really think that portraits have a greater value and a lot of work behind, more than a regular selfie. What I want to say with this is that selfies shouldn't be undrvalued just because they are easy to take or because everyone can do it. Selfies can be as complex as portraits, and I think it would be great if we took this into account and bared it in our minds. And also, it would be fantastic if we all tried to be more creative with our selfies, because we could create even works of art. (maybe saying "works of art" is too much, but who knows what can selfies become).