Born Nowhere

Born Nowhere is an interactive art project that uses Facebook in the process of creation. The works originated in self-portraits of the artist that were modified via digital techniques, resulting in a diverse cast of female individuals. Subsequently, Laís Pontes posted the altered photographs on Facebook and invited fellow users to share their thoughts on, and interpretations of, the newly created personas. Informed by these comments, the artist generates and assigns a name, biography and personality traits to each of the virtual characters. Consequently, a participatory approach is integral to this art project: It is the dialogue opened up via social media that brings the fictional personas into being. Each character’s description is informed by what in psychoanalytical terms is called ‘projection’. According to this theory, the viewer ascribes his own background, reality and fantasies onto others. What one sees is what one wants to see.