Mona Lisa Selfies
Mona Lisa Selfies 2015 – photo by Benjamin Bergery
I took some photographs the other day of people taking selfies in front of the Mona Lisa at the Louvre.
In this self-portrait the work of art is considered as a landmark, like the Eiffel Tower. But it is also a dual portrait: a frame within a frame, an old portrait within a new portrait, and a very personal acquisition.
The moment of the photograph feels like a ritual action to mark the historical moment: I was here.
The selfie is also a way to join yourself to the celebrity of the painting. It is a form of fame.
Who is the audience of this selfie? Who is the intended audience? Who is the actual audience?
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