ELSFIES is a conceptual art project initiated in 2008, situated at the intersection of self-portraiture, celebrity culture, and tangible memory objects.
The series features individuals — ranging from anonymous participants to internationally recognized figures — holding my Polaroid-shaped business card. This card bears the image of the artist's face, partially obscured by a pair of 2007 Chanel sunglasses, a recurring motif that transforms the self-portrait into an emblematic token of presence and absence.
At its core, ELSFIES is an exercise in relinquishing control. Each subject is given the freedom to interact with the mini Polaroid in any way they choose. This openness results in an unpredictable, often playful interplay between the subject and the object, collapsing the distance between the artist's identity and the identity of those who momentarily claim it.
Some hold the Polaroid as a badge of recognition, others incorporate it into their facial features, while a few subvert its meaning entirely — biting, kissing, or positioning it in unexpected ways. The project thus functions as an ongoing dialogue between representation and appropriation, questioning the act of portraiture itself.
Figures such as Lady Gaga, Iggy Pop, and Spike Lee, known for their strong visual identities, bring their own layers of meaning to the project. Whether it is John Landis cheekily placing the Polaroid in his mouth, or Dean and Dan Caten creating a mirror with two cigarettes, each contribution adds to a tapestry of improvisation.
In a world saturated with self-portraits, ELSFIES asks: what does it mean to truly see oneself, and what happens when that image is placed in the hands of another?
