Jaimie Warren is a photographer, performance artist and curator known for her theatrical, humorous self-portraits set in various scenarios and locations, whether constructed or real. Not unlike Cindy Sherman, Warren dresses herself in extensive costumes and makeup. She often imitates or references the digital presence of celebrities and internet memes. One of her bodies of work is completely based on the website: totallylookslike.com, where people pair images of celebrities with objects, animals, food, other celebrities, etc. to show how they humorously look alike. She puts a lot of creative energy into producing her portraits without the use of Photoshop. Her work exaggerates the ridiculousness of internet celebrity obsessions to hilarious proportions.
I appreciate the handmade, DIY quality of her costumes, makeup, sets, and props. I also like the fact that, while she references the obnoxious contemporary celebrity internet memes and photos that the internet is saturated with, she does not use contemporary technological means to achieve her photographs. I think this home-made presence in her work contrasts the air-brushed, photo-shopped celebrity glamour shots that she references. It is easier as a viewer to relate to her over-the-top hand-made spoof photos than the ubiquitous celebrity photos she's making fun of. She's a real person.
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