Celebrated conceptual artist Ryan Gander reckons that nothing symbolises the times we live in better than the selfie: the icon of a new kind of self-regard that hardly existed just ten years ago. But, as he discovers, its roots go back hundreds of years before smartphones, and this uniquely 21st century phenomenon is just the visible tip of a much much bigger iceberg - a radical reinvention of who we are powered by the very latest digital technology. It has not just changed how much we look at ourselves, but also transformed what we see in the screen when we do. In the age of social media, when we are told to be our best selves and live our best lives, what does that really mean, and what is it doing to our sense of self?
Rudeness, Youtube
Rudeness, Youtube
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Cyberbloke, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Kozzy06, Youtube
Kozzy06, Youtube
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
John Robins, Comedian
John Robins, Comedian
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Len Firewood, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Richard Herring, Comedian
Richard Herring, Comedian
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Peter Ould, Youtube
Peter Ould, Youtube
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Idrie, Youtube
Idrie, Youtube
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Guest1001, Youtube
Guest1001, Youtube
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Funday’schild, youtube.
Funday’schild, youtube.
Tin Frog, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Danazawa, Youtube
Danazawa, Youtube
Keilloh, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Stuart, Chortle
Stuart, Chortle
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
GRTak, finalgear.com
GRTak, finalgear.com
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Pudabaya, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Borathigh5, Youtube
Borathigh5, Youtube
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
Brighton Argus
Brighton Argus
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Mpf1947, Youtube
Mpf1947, Youtube
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Chez, Chortle.com
Chez, Chortle.com
World Without End, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Mearecate, Youtube
Mearecate, Youtube
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Joycey, readytogo.net
Joycey, readytogo.net
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Anon, westhamonline.com
Anon, westhamonline.com
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Tokyofist, Youtube
Tokyofist, Youtube
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Bosco239, youtube
Bosco239, youtube
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Z-factor, Twitter.
Z-factor, Twitter.
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Jamespearse, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
Sidsings000, Youtube
Sidsings000, Youtube
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Pnethor, pne-online.com
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
Anamatronix, Youtube
Anamatronix, Youtube
Jackmumf, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Al Murray, Comedian
Al Murray, Comedian
Peter Fears, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Etienne, Chortle.com
Etienne, Chortle.com
Meninblack, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
FBC, finalgear.com
FBC, finalgear.com
Hiewy, Youtube
Hiewy, Youtube
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
Shit Crit, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter