Author: Juju

 
My digital collage series explores transformations of self-identity through iterations of purposeful destruction of data called datamoshing. Inspired by naturally occurring glitches in various image and video file types, datamoshing uses compression techniques to create digital chaos; distorting, bending and ultimately transforming images and video into something entirely new though tied to its original file. By datamoshing personal photographs tied to my autobiographical memories, this series explores the relationship between self-identity and digital photography. Digital photography represents a myriad of choices reflecting how we want to be perceived, from how we “perform” for the camera to which images we choose to keep, edit and share. These images form our sense of identity, informing us of how others view us and how we want to be viewed. By intentionally distorting the data of these photographs using datamoshing and processing-based pixel sorting methods, I create new associations to these images and explore their relationship to my identity. This is the paradox of datamoshing – through destruction is the creation of something new.