Final Summative statement: Am I a gadget?

While brainstorming for the question, "Are you a gadget", I instantly looked at my brand new iPhone 8 on the table. I was sitting in the Emory Starbucks with few of my other friends, who all happened to have their eyes fixed on phone screens. The answer was pretty obvious; we are all gadgets of the gadgets. Gadgets are, according to multiple definitions online, technological tools that we develop and use for specific function. Phones were initially invented as wireless gadget that provides comfort of being reachable at anywhere, anywhere. It certainly accomplished such initial goal, but as time went pass by, people became the gadget. Phones have gone through tremendous revolution ever since, in parallel to the development of digital media, and people have begun to become a gadget themselves to keep up with the purpose of the phones. Even I found myself changing my usual behavior and habits to better utilize my social media and ultimately garner more attention on my digital world. Why was I taking picture of the Quad at Emory University around the sunset time, which I did not personally nor emotionally found to be beautiful, with a caption of ‘views’ and geometric location ‘Emory University’ on my Instastory feed? I was neither developing a new habit nor hobby; it was a mere submissive act towards my social media.

That got me the fundamental layouts for my final project. I started to look back in years when I did not own any social media account and was not really active online, which was exactly 10 years ago. Year 2007, the only association I had with the digital media was the MSN messenger then. I was not part of the popular media platforms then: Facebook, MySpace and blogs. I owned a Sony Ericson phone, on which I could text and call and play some occasional games. What was my hobby back then? What did I do instead of scrolling down my Facebook feed or looking at every single Snapchat stories of my friends? After substantial #tbt (throw back to) thoughts, I remembered how much I loved to draw back then. I had multiple sketchbooks then which I spent much time drawing out of imaginations, pictures or views I saw. Once I noticed at a dozens of pink flowers on the way home which I tried to draw at home later but I simply could not recall the scenery again. The solution was simple: run back to the spot and look at the scenery again. Such story would have been completely different now. I would have simply taken a photo of flower, cover it with appropriate filters and post it on my Snapchat story with cheesy captions.

I wanted to recollect and revive the “Koby” in 2007, before digital world engulfed me. I admit I cannot live without my digital media. Henceforth my project was designed to draw photographs I personally took, in ways however I wanted to draw. I became the artist of my own who could actualize my inner vision of the world onto the canvas, which resulted in a total of 9 artworks that reflect my inner eyes, digital media and the world.