THE DIVULGING IMAGE
The divulging image is created with the intention to expose one’s undisclosed and confidential information. It strips away any privacy from the owner of the image and promotes public access. By broadcasting concealed information, it speaks to the inescapable visibility that one encounters in today’s consumerist society where transactions are constantly monitored. Our purchases communicate our intimate identity, social class, and politics — embodying the grip of consumption that takes hold of our psyches. We desire glamour, so we internalize a competition against others for visibility and status. However, the more we consume, the more our personal data is recorded. It is as if our daily routines are branded into our public image, available for all to inspect and judge. The divulging image unmasks to the viewer the privacy that we take for granted, and emphasizes that we are kept under persistent surveillance.
