The Saatchi Gallery in Chelsea is one of London’s most adventurous contemporary art exhibition spaces, from 31st March Saatchi Gallery and Huawei Technologies have teamed up to present “From Selfie to Self-Expression”; the world’s first exhibition exploring the history of the selfie from the old master paintings of Rembrandt and Velazquez to the ubiquitous present day selfie. The exhibition will celebrate the creative potential of a style of expression often derided for its inanity.The show highlights the emerging role of the mobile phone as an artistic medium for self-expression by commissioning ten sensational young British photographers to create new works using Huawei’s newest breakthrough dual lens smartphones co-engineered with Leica.Showing alongside influential artists’ work will be selfies that have quickly become icons of the digital era — from the beautiful and sublime to the mad, bad and downright dangerous.
But the most exciting part is the Selfie Competition offering young or older artists, photographers and enthusiasts around the world a chance to improvise and show their most imaginative selfies internationally and to have their work exhibited at this important art space. This global competition offers a chance for entrants to express themselves by exploring and advancing the creative potential of the today’s selfie. All entries must take the form of a photographic selfie. Submissions are encouraged to be experimental and innovative taking the selfie in exciting new directions. The prize will be judged by a panel of renowned artists and forward-thinkers. The competition opened this week to all aged 16 and above, anyone can submit up to six selfies until 12th of March, in this case a selfie means a still photographic image not a video.The ten shortlisted winners will receive Huawei’s newest smartphone and the overall winner will be announced at the launch of the Show at the Saatchi Gallery in London on 30th March, the winner receives a mysterious “priceless photographic experience, to be announced at a later date”. This reporter has examined the hundreds of weird and wonderful entries so far; many from Europe and UK, from Israel, the Russian Federation, Lebanon, North and South America, Mexico, Hong Kong and South Africa but as yet nothing at all from India!