Selfie Sticks face scrutiny and solidarity

Johnathan HuttonSelfie Sticks face scrutiny and solidarity

April 7, 2015

 

The new Canadian device called the Selfie Stick has been getting mixed reactions in 2015.

 

From being on the holiday bestseller list in the United States last December, to now being on the banned items list for Walt Disney World and more than 46 museums and galleries world wide, the Selfie Stick has been under fire.

 

Despite all the recent negative publicity, several Windsorites would still consider buying one.

 

“I think it’s a pretty good idea, it actually gives you a wider angle when taking a photo and it makes it easier for you to take a selfie,” said Sahil Kaler, who is a biology student at the University of Windsor. “ I don’t own one but hopefully I will soon.”

 

Galleries across the world have banned the Selfie Stick for many different reasons, most of them due to security concerns. The Colosseum in Rome has banned them because they are afraid they will damage the architecture of the facility. The National Gallery of London also banned them because they can be used to “violate individual privacy.”

 

Srimoyee Mitra is the curator of contemporary art at the Art Gallery of Windsor. Although Selfie Sticks are currently not banned from the art gallery she said there are definitely a few concerns with photography using Selfie Sticks and in general within the gallery.

“I imagine some of the problems with the Selfie Stick would relate to security and conservation issues within a gallery,” said Mitra. “You have a camera on a metal pole. What happens if it falls? What is it falling on? If we were standing in front of a display case and someone was taking a photograph, what happens if it falls through the glass?”

 

Mitra said although the gallery is for the public, their main goal is to preserve the artwork.

“We, as a gallery and a museum, have the responsibility to take care of the work here,” said Mitra. “I think that museums and galleries have to think about how they can reconfigure the spaces to be able to respond to the demand of the audience (to take photos in galleries) but also at the same time find a way for the work not to be damaged.”

 

According to the Daily Mail Newspaper in the UK, there are more than 17 million selfies being uploaded each week in the United Kingdom and 93 million selfies being uploaded world wide each day. The trend has been responsible for the development of many social apps such as Snapchat or Instagram. However, several people view it as a form of expression that they can instantly share with the world.

 

“I truly believe that selfies have become part of a lot of our daily lives,” said Emily Harris, 21. Harris currently works at a tanning salon in Amherstburg and will be attending a hairstyling program in September. She said she takes selfies when she feels confident about herself.

 

“I want the world to see my smile,” said Harris. “So they smile because they saw mine. It’s opening up your joy to the world. Selfies are to describe the moments of the day that make you happy.”

 

Harris currently does not own a Selfie Stick but, like Kaler, she plans on purchasing one in the near future and hopes to use it while skydiving.