Ellejae Jimenez

03 IRL Face Customization

She is perfectly curated, captured, and converted into data. She is preserved through a camera lens, displayed on an LCD screen and sits as a collection of pixels. Even in her intangible state, she exists as a reality through the feeds, the timelines, explore pages and the minds of the endless users who are able to access her image. I lament on her non-existence IRL.

“Immersed in a time of constant surveillance and the persistent pressure to be picture perfect, I contemplate on the years I spent harbouring hatred towards my own reflection and longing for the fabricated image who exists under all the beauty filters, re-touching, and insecurities. She is perfectly curated, captured, and converted into data. She is preserved through a camera lens, displayed on an LCD screen and sits as a collection of pixels. Even in her intangible state, she exists as a reality through the feeds, the timelines, explore pages and the minds of the endless users who are able to access her image. I lament on her non-existence IRL as I consider my options on how to permanently alter my image to replicate her likeness. However, no amount of makeup, exercise or excessive dieting will come close to the level of transformation an overly eager surgeon can offer.The process of creating the face pieces is extensive and heavily relies on digital tools. Using photogrammetry, the model's face is scanned by taking around 300 photos in various angles. The images are uploaded to a photogrammetry software which goes through several passes to create the final printable format: photo alignment, point cloud, dense cloud, 3D mesh, altering the mesh, slicing/prep for printing, and the final resin 3D print. On top of that, photogrammetry can yield unpredictable results as it processes the data in a manner that is beyond your control and replicates fragments of the image. The mesh had chunks missing or added where it shouldn't be.IRL Face Customization presents the raw and unfiltered self image against the heavy mask of face filters and re-touching and its relation to a fractured self perception. This distorted thinking fosters an environment for a thriving industry that preys on women and young girls. The model kit set up provides the viewer freedom to arrange the augmented face while their un-altered self is reflected back. The only way she materialises is to slice (into an .stl) her face, yet it remains as mere fragments of her image.”