One of the most popular forms of photography that has taken the world by storm is the ‘selfie style.’
People with cell phones in hand, pouting towards the screen and smiling with glistening teeth, is a common sight everywhere. One of the most sought after travel companion nowadays is a selfie stick. Hence, it doesn’t come as a surprise, when the world’s first ever Museum of Selfies is set to come up in Los Angeles. Initiated by two designers, they hope to break a Guinness World Record for the world’s longest selfie stick when the museum opens its doors on April 1st 2018.
The museum traces the emergence of self-portraits to our ancestors 40,000 years ago. The idea for The Museum actually emerged from within a museum itself.
While researching for the design of a Leonardo da Vinci-inspired escape room, co-founder Tair Mamedov noticed how often tourists took selfies with the Mona Lisa. They realised the need of people to engage in selfies in perfect themes and backgrounds. That’s when the idea for the museum erupted in their minds. ‘The Museum of Selfies’ was the perfect choice for a name which reflected the true purpose of the location. They even have a Game of Thrones-inspired Iron Throne of selfie sticks.
Selfies may seem like a modern phenomenon but there’s more than what meets the eye. Research shows that it is indeed not a modern miracle. It has only evolved with technology to the present state. People in the olden times indulged in self-portraits too. What we see now, is simply a logical extension of what people have been doing since we first drew on cave walls or carved something out of stone. They actually teach us a lot about our evolution.
The Museum of Selfies is the most meta of recent hot-selling Instagram-friendly exhibitions. At the Museum, visitors can learn about selfie culture while posing for fun photo-ops. There are tongue-in-cheek works by Florence-based artist Michele Durazzi and conceptual illustrator Andrea Ucini from Denmark. For example, the Rembrandt self-portrait is wielding a selfie stick and Mona Lisa gives her best Kardashian pout with an iPhone in hand.
Something to definitely look forward to!