In a city such as London where initiating even the most basic of interactions with a complete stranger (unless in the event of an emergency) feels like a sordid taboo, where buying a pint at even the most down-to-earth seeming pub can border on £6.00 and where most of its millenial demographic would much rather stay in and trawl for memes on Instagram/order questionably pretentious restaurant food to their door as opposed to going out and socialising, how does one find love, friendship or sex, if not for online dating?
New Profile (2019) is an ongoing compilation of opening messages sent to strangers on a dating site by the artist. Each of these messages explore the balance of vulnerability in potential rejection as well as potential acceptance by way of mutual interest, attraction and assumed compatabilty, all from a male perspective. The title of the series makes reference to the seemingly finite, yet often cyclical process of online dating itself— a fascinating, mundane and seemingly neccesary digital phenomenon, that although no longer remains in the shadows of shame, often offers the false promise of love, desire and connection in a world so designed for us to crave it.
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