Melani De Luca

Department: Information Design
Website: melanideluca.com

Post-Butt

The digital revolution has enlarged the power of the image: it only takes a single click to distribute it worldwide. As we are a narcissistic species, millions of self-depictions are being uploaded every day. And it doesn’t take an expert to notice the focus on specific body parts. There is an overload of pictures of our backsides on the internet: the ‘belfie’ – short for butt selfie – has become the new trend. The female bottom is omnipresent; the butt has gone viral.
Melani De Luca researched the rise and glory of the behind in the media, starting with the hip-hop scene of the early nineties, taking flight with Jennifer Lopez and turning Kim Kardashian into a symbol of feminine power. Melani’s ‘Post-Butt’ project translates the endless stream of buttocks from the digital screen into a physical installation that investigates the phenomenon in a different context. Instagram pictures become tangible objects as they are printed on pillows. And a manifesto on the subject comes to life printed on a series of panties. A recital of hip-hop lyrics without the beat, raises awareness even more: what are we actually communicating?