With so many social media outlets, it seems that everyone has all of their personal information online. People continue to be obsessed with self-branding and promoting a particular identity. In response to this cultural phenomenon, artist and photographer Mike Mellia has created the "Self-Absorbed" series (ongoing since 2012). The project involves graphic editing and photos of the artist. Mellia tweaks big-name brands to feature himself, incorporating his name and image into product packaging. The artist then sneaks the new packaging into supermarkets, bodegas, and people's homes to assert his presence in random places.
Drawing parallels between consumerism and social media, the artist says, "In a consumer-driven society of product-placement and constant contact through technology. The self-absorbed Facebook generation and advertisers make the exact same self-branding decisions."
[via PSFK]
