Today I was reflecting on an art intervention that I did on the website HotorNot.com to comment on the definition of (stereotypical) beauty. I kept record of my feelings and photographed the beautification process that I put myself through to become the ideal me. I called this project "Becoming the Monster." The final photographs were exhibited at the Spring Show at San Francisco State University's CIA Gallery in 2009.
What is Hot or Not?
HOT or NOT is a web site that dedicates itself to being "a vibrant Social Entertainment Network™" that has millions of members via their photo sharing, rating and meet/dating features. The web site enables members to rate and review both people and products. With a short introduction of 250 characters and 3 images as well as image tags with descriptions, each to give some sort of window to your personality so that other members will want to meet you. Members can even send virtual gifts with messages to encourage meetings and ratings-- and, yes, they cost money. Members of the site must then rate other members to continue to get ratings and meet people. The average user seems to check their rating every few hours.
What I did to intervene this social network
It was this world of self branding and competitiveness that I thought would be interesting to intrude. I came up with two profiles that were both for the same fictitious person, Bianca-- one "hot" and one "not." One profile was made to act as a superficial, stereotypically "hot," depressed female user, and the other profile was to act as the personified emotions of that person-- self conscious and distressed. The outfit and posture were similar in the photographs that I had taken to post, but the make-up and facial expressions, as well as the introductions and tags, created for their profiles, differed in order
Results
What I wasn't ready for was for my pictures to be denied! Several times I had to edit and re-post photos of myself for the "not" Bianca, while the photos of the "hot" Bianca were approved right away, even though they technically weren't that different from each other (except for the make-up). After re-posting several times, one of my pictures was finally approved, but my new introduction was denied. I suppose the moderators could argue that I was wearing lingerie, posing pornographically, or that I might not be "real." After all, my picture didn't necessarily embody the "clean, real, and fun" atmosphere that they wanted-- it exposed the underlying grotesque qualities of the site. to connote mimicry of the site and offer sarcasm.
Feelings About the Intervention
When I decided to infiltrate HOT or NOT, I knew that it would be degrading. But it was worse than I thought. It brought attention to my low self esteem and made me obsessed with my seemingly low score. Even with being comfortable with knowing that I am not the "norm," the very act of checking my rating everyday came to bother me, which only further proved the negative effects of such a superficial community.
It's funny. I still occasionally check up on my hotornot.com account. And it still depresses me.
