CGI Influencers

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https://www.instagram.com/shudu.gram/?hl=en

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https://mediakix.com/blog/cgi-influencers-instagram-models/

Ethically, I am torn to the idea of the 'CGI influencer', but particularly this one called 'Shudu Gram'. She is a beautiful (and very realistic) projection of a black woman: sleek dark skin, doll-like eyes, big glossy lips. She is 'in-touch' with her African cultural heritage as she wears iindzila neck rings in a few photos (a piece from the Ndebele people of South Africa), and above all a advocate for black women; often her posts feature the hashtags #blackisbeautiful #melanin #blackgirlsrock.

However, her very existence is terribly problematic. For a start, Shudu was created by a white photographer from the UK- Cameron-James Wilson. (what the fuck)

In an interview he said:

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https://www.newyorker.com/culture/culture-desk/shudu-gram-is-a-white-mans-digital-projection-of-real-life-black-womanhood#

ultimately, he believes the creation of Shudu to be empowering/ a work of art. However, as a black female myself I think it's extremely dangerous. ultimately, he has sculpted what the "perfect beautiful black woman" should look like, and as a result he is making money of the phenomenon of playing a black woman, without being one.

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I think Patricia Hill Collins has put it here well. I understand that in a digital landscape, we have the freedom to be able to re-construct and mould ourselves but were do we draw the line? is there a line to draw?

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https://wersm.com/interview-with-cameron-james-wilson-creator-of-shudu-the-worlds-first-digital-supermodel/

Somehow, this interests me. How we are able to completely deconstruct and fabricate people, lives, experiences. What will this develop into in the future? How are we already experimenting with this idea?

Part Two

Part Two

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