Nowadays, the perfect face is perceived through filters and fillers.

The brief required to design a creative portrait of myself which reflects on an ideological position. The work depicts the harsh reality of mental health issues caused by the unrealistic expectations that Instagram portrays. 

The Instagram colour gradient, which is visual in their logo, is used to portray Instagram. A survey confirmed that Instagram is “associated with high levels of anxiety, depression, bullying and FOMO, or the “fear of missing out” (Macmillan, 2017). This justifies the idea that Instagram is portrayed as the substance abuse the woman is taking, which causes depression and overall bad mental health. The tear and the facial expression express the sadness and depression the woman is feeling. 

The mask in her hand portrays the perfect face, also known as the “Instagram face”. The mask symbolizes the filters and fillers that go into having the perfect face, which is an unrealistic expectation in today’s society. The clothing is based on the most frequently seen “Instagram outfit” which adds to the idea of being “in” and perfect in the eyes of society. The photographic element in this portrait is my bedroom. It makes it more personal, considering that anyone can be influenced by unrealistic expectations even the people closest to you. The bubbles above represent the bullying that is done via comments on Instagram. This is a crucial aspect of depression and also suicide that Instagram authorizes.