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Phoebe Milles
Persona
What becomes of our identity, once persona has been priced and tagged?
My work focuses on today's overwhelming consumerism, specifically on how it has led to the commodification of nearly everything, even our personas. Personas are now things to be curated, monetised, and consumed. Interests and hobbies are being dictated by what fits a certain vibe; subcultures and movements are getting watered down to an aesthetic; and celebrity styles and personalities are being turned into a ‘core’ for everyone else to imitate. As such persona and identity has been reduced to surface level appearance. The emphasis then becomes what you can buy—what you can buy to appear as having a particular interest or trait, which has serious implications for us as individuals and as a whole society. This commodification is causing us to homogenize our identities and personalities. Though concerning, I also find this fascinating as I myself am caught and take part in the cycle of consumption through my own hobbies and interests across fashion, design, and music.
