In 2013, the word “selfie” officially entered the dictionary. This lexical event has attracted a considerable amount of literature to this photographic phenomenon of taking self-portrait with one’s smartphone and uploading it to a social network. The debate was launched. Was it narcissism pushed to the extreme? Or a message in a bottle seeking recognition from one’s peers? After all, what’s the use of uploading a photo if it isn’t met with comments and the general approval of one’s digital friends.
The Japanese have decided to further complicated the issue. The new trend in the Land of the Rising Sun is the “Shaky Selfie,” an intentionally blurry, surreal self-portrait that a photographer like Man Ray might have taken. In fact, his portrait of Luisa Casati is reminiscent of the shaky self-portrait taken by this Japanese teen. Today surrealism has taken a kawaii turn.
