The Selfie from Caravaggio to the Present

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The digital “selfie" is ubiquitous. But what constitutes the lure of reproducing one’s image through technical media in the first place? This course examines histories and theories of self-imaging media, tracing how widespread concepts of selfhood have shifted over time alongside––and in relation to––the development of specific media technologies: from paintings to daguerreotypes, snapshots, cinema, video, and digital media. By analyzing broad tends and “case studies” of specific artists, filmmakers, and theorists; we will ultimately consider the historical context, and develop the conceptual skills, needed to survey and scrutinize ethical problems and potentials posed by selfies in the present.