Ellen de Meijer

Ellen de Meijer’s “Digital Divide” series is a cautionary reminder of technology’s influence on image-building and the self-estrangement it creates. The artist’s paintings feature well-dressed, emotionless figures accessorized with smart phones, MP3 players, or Google Glasses. Each figure is set against a muted background, and many wear rubber gloves that symbolize interpersonal detachment and allude to hermetic ideals. De Meijer strives to reveal what she calls “the seen and unseen” in her art; the “seen” alludes to outward appearances, and the “unseen” references human limitations, vulnerability, and internal emotions. De Meijer fears the loss of the true self as a result of constructed digital personas, which are exemplified by the blank, glazed stares of her figures.