Cuerpo privado, imagen pública: El autorretrato en la práctica de la fotografía digital

Abstract

This paper show some thoughts about the self-portrait as an extended practice on the Internet, not only as a representation of users of Social Network Sites (profile pictures for example) but also as a creative and playful self-reflective practice on the self, the body and the personal identity. To some authors, the practice of self-portraits is related to control forms and empowerment, in particular, the self-portraits made by women. For other authors, it seems to be the popularisation of a practice previously reserved to artists, while others point to the therapeutic and personal transformation powers of the selfportrait. What seems to be undoubted is the relationship between the self-portrait and the everyday narratives of the self and, on the Internet, this personal and intimate practice becomes public and even creates an audience. In this sense, the self-portrait could be understood as a new cultural form of self-presentation that could be understood as both, the public performance of the personal identity and the result of a performative practice with the own body.