#TeamFollowBack
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Two-sentence project summary:
A physical translation of an internet hashtag. They ‘Followed’ me online and then I followed them IRL.
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Me playing for #TeamFollowBack:
Unabridged Summary of the project:
Over the course of 12 hours, I physically interpreted the online Twitter and Instagram phenomenon #TeamFollowBack. The hashtag, popular with teenagers, has implied rules; that if you ‘Follow’ someone on an online service, they have to ‘Follow’ you back. It is intended to increase Followers, and – in essence – is the digital translation of the high school popularity contest.
For my performance, I took the hashtag’s action and moved it from the digital to the physical. Over 12 hours, I followed people for 2-hour increments. With each person, just like the digital manifestation of the hashtag, I had no insight into what these people that I followed would be doing. I just followed them around and did what they did.
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Promotional Image:
Mid-performance—Chinatown, Los Angeles, California:
Most of the performance photos are here:
https://www.instagram.com/explore/tags/MossFollowsBack/
If you’re an amateur archivist, this is also another good place to look:
https://www.instagram.com/explore/tags/ActualSizeLA/
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#TeamFollowBack was performed at Actual Size Gallery in Los Angeles, California. The show was curated by Santi Vernetti. Very special thank you to Santi Vernetti, Corrie Segal, Justin John Greene, and Mindy Lu for helping with the performance.