Through portraits of instantaneously recognisable icons such as Elvis, Marilyn Monroe and Twiggy, all of whom Hayama describes as “vintage influencers”, the artist explores the process by which a person becomes stratospherically famous, a process the artist himself labels as a “path of no return.”
This path has seemed to unfold via a mixture of hard work and meticulous social maintenance. As such, I link, therefore I am uses these iconic images to expose contemporary issues connected to the evolution of various social technologies.
Hayama blends her images with other iconic celebrities, superheroes and, even, familiar cartoon characters. In creating these hybrid caricatures, the artist attempts to visualise the notion of Multiphrenia: the fragmented self. Largely caused by technologies that increase social contact.
Multiphrenia is the condition of being simultaneously drawn in multiple and conflicting directions. To demonstrate this, Hayama uses a multi-layered and transformative artistic process, which travels from photograph to photoshop, and, finally, to canvas.
“I link, therefore I am”.
Hayama blends her images with other iconic celebrities, superheroes and, even, familiar cartoon characters.
