myAvatar=myChuckClose

interactive net art, 2007
software program written by the artist, computer, monitor, printer, mouse, keyboard

myAvatar=myChuckClose has a Wii-like interface. Similar in application to the popular video game console by Nintendo, the viewers can create their own Wii-style avatars using myAvatar=myChuckClose and then, upon submission, convert the avatars into Chuck Close-style portraits.

An avatar is the identification of the user or the user’s alter ego or character in video games, social media, and networked 3D virtual worlds. Considering the number of games and social media platforms available today, possibly millions of avatars are being created, abandoned, or deleted each day. Traditionally, portraiture has been a privilege reserved for the rich and famous. But here, in this work, the artist glorifies and rewards these virtual beings with a portrait in the style of the modern master known for his monumental works of portraiture. The light-hearted nature of this piece challenges the historical purpose and meaning of portraiture while reexamining the concept of identity in the digital age.