In a new exhibition, concerns are raised about the influence of digital beauty standards on real-life aesthetics, alluding to the danger of Snapchat distortion and the pursuit of enhanced appearances, termed as looksmaxing.
The thought-provoking exhibition "Virtual Beauty" at Somerset House delves into the ways digital culture, artificial intelligence (AI), social media, and avatar identity shape contemporary beauty standards[1][4]. Over 20 international artists have contributed works across multiple media, including video, sculpture, CGI, interactive AR mirrors, embroidery, and generative AI installations[1].
Curated by Gonzalo Herrero Delicado, Mathilde Friis, and Bunny Kinney, the exhibition critiques the algorithm-driven homogeneity of beauty ideals, highlighting how technologies create pressures for digital and real-world conformity[1]. It explores speculative futures of beauty and identity as influenced by technology, such as virtual avatars and 3D-scanned digital bodies, illustrating how digital and real-world aesthetics increasingly intertwine[3].
The exhibition is divided into three sections, with the first section tracing the early stages of digital self-representation[2]. It features a silver Samsung flip phone from 2003, one of the first mobile phones with a built-in camera, and showcases the power of the selfie, as exemplified by Kim Kardashian's capitalization on her selfies in her 2015 book Selfish[5].
The second section acts as a microcosm of a future digital world, showcasing how advancements in portable devices, gaming, streaming environments, and social media platforms are transforming perceptions of beauty and identity[6]. The third section delves into dystopian themes, nostalgia, and the surreal, shifting between past, present, and future.
One of the landmark works on display is ORLAN’s "Omniprésence" (1993), which presaged today’s performative, data-driven beauty rituals by live-streaming the artist’s own facial surgery[1]. Another noteworthy piece is Ben Cullen Williams and Isamaya Ffrench's three-channel film Past Life (2021), which explores distorted, altered faces generated by AI, pushing beyond traditional beauty standards into a new aesthetic of the human form[7].
Arvida Byström's installation A Daughter Without a Mother (2022) features a female sex doll equipped with AI speech-generation software, encouraging viewers to reflect on the complexities of identity and intimacy linked to human-shaped mechanisms[8]. Qualeasha Wood's embroidered tapestry, It's All For U (If U Rlly Want It) (2024), blends traditional textile techniques with digital aesthetics and questions the misrepresentation and erasure of the Black femme body in digital spaces[9].
The exhibition leaves viewers wondering if, in the relentless pursuit of beauty, we are more vulnerable online than ever before[3]. It challenges audiences to question who defines beauty in a technologically mediated world and how these evolving aesthetics affect personal and social identity[1][2][3]. Due to its mature themes related to image manipulation and self-perception, it is recommended for ages 15 and above[2][4].
According to Dr. Cliff Lauson, Director of Exhibitions at Somerset House, "Virtual Beauty" is an exploration about how digital culture and technology affect us in everyday life[10]. The exhibition runs until 28 September[6].
[1] Virtual Beauty at Somerset House explores the impact of AI and digital culture on beauty standards [2] Virtual Beauty: Art, Technology, and the Transformation of Beauty Standards [3] Virtual Beauty at Somerset House: A Journey Through the Evolution of Digital Aesthetics [4] Virtual Beauty: A Critical Examination of AI, Social Media, and Digital Technologies' Impact on Beauty Standards [5] The Selfie's Power: Kim Kardashian and the Influence of Digital Culture on Beauty Standards [6] Virtual Beauty at Somerset House: A Must-See Exhibition for Art and Tech Enthusiasts [7] Ben Cullen Williams and Isamaya Ffrench's groundbreaking film Past Life at Virtual Beauty [8] Arvida Byström's thought-provoking installation A Daughter Without a Mother at Virtual Beauty [9] Qualeasha Wood's embroidered tapestry It's All For U (If U Rlly Want It) at Virtual Beauty [10] Dr. Cliff Lauson on the Impact of Digital Culture and Technology on Everyday Life at Virtual Beauty
- The exhibition, "Virtual Beauty" at Somerset House, showcases how technology and artificial intelligence (AI) in digital culture and social media are reshaping our beauty standards, encompassing entertainment, general news, sports, education-and-self-development, casino-and-gambling, and lifestyle.
- In the second section of the exhibition, advancements in portable devices, gaming, streaming environments, and social media platforms are discussed, highlighting their influence on perception of beauty and identity, which fall under the categories of technology, entertainment, and lifestyle.
- Another notable piece in the exhibition, Ben Cullen Williams and Isamaya Ffrench's three-channel film Past Life (2021), delves into the use of AI to distort and alter faces, touching upon topics like technology, education-and-self-development, and entertainment.
