Saatchi Gallery: From Selfie to Self-Expression

From Barack Obama and Kim Kardashian to the famous celeb-packed shot taken by Ellen DeGeneres at the 2014 Oscars, selfies are now a ubiquitous part of popular culture. But at what point does such a social media phenomenon become art? These questions and more will be explored in a new exhibition at the Saatchi Gallery opening this month.

From Selfie to Self-Expression will delve into the history of how artists have represented themselves for centuries. The wide-reaching display will juxtapose historic works from the likes of Velazquez, Van Gogh and Rembrandt against more modern pieces from artists including Tracey Emin and Cindy Sherman, tracing how technology has changed the way we present ourselves to the outside world.

To reflect how the digital age has democratised the dissemination of images, the gallery launched an international competition giving the public the chance to submit their own selfies. Ten shortlisted winners will have their work put on display as part of the exhibition and the overall winner will be announced on 30 March.

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For the occasion, ten British visual artists have also been commissioned to create new works, demonstrating the varied nature of the art form. These range from Emma Critchley, who works underwater using photography, film, sound and installation and Alma Haser, who inventively incorporates collage and paper-folding techniques into her portraiture, to street photographer Matt Stuart.

From Selfie to Self-Expression is at the Saatchi Gallery from 31 March to 30 May; saatchigallery.com