Where the sociological function of the meme can be said to be building collectivity and relatability, its natural habitat, where it grows and unfolds, is within digital platforms on which physical loneliness prevails, and the range of emotions is limited and, to a certain extent, coded.

“Me-memes” often concern the suppressed, not presentable, unbridled impulses but unfold within the smoothness of digital platforms. Kitschy photos alongside cheesy punchlines temporarily smudge the user’s screen and occasionally make them relate to a feeling that does not belong on a digital platform. In their digital state, emotional complexities: mood swings, hysteria, tantrums, etc., are condensed into a series of choreographed codes, overly comprehensible in their simplicity and similarity. The “me” in the raunchy meme, occupied with the duality of its smooth surroundings and its urge to destroy, is an unsettled, dissatisfied “me.”

The concept of this project is best defined as abstractions in video and sound of the contradictory relation between ”ugly” humanity and digital smoothness. The initial raw material is a photo and video footage of an emotionless face, which travels back and forth between ”classically” imperfect and purikura flawless. Through a series of performative videos, I want to consider how the chase for perfection aligns with misery and how the purity of blandness exposes a vulnerability in human beings.