THE IDOL
XINYI CHEN
This project is a critical examination of the unrealistic beauty standards imposed on East Asian women through media representations, particularly anime virtual idols. These beauty standards, such as pale skin, big eyes, and an impossibly thin body shape, are marketed as an illusion, a carefully crafted commercial creation that reinforces a narrow standard of beauty. Through my work, I aim to challenge these representations by creating my own virtual idol, but with a critical lens. This project has 3 components: social media accounts, a music video, and an AR installation.
The project starts with a stereotypical representation of the virtual idol, which is already proven to be commercially successful, but then deviates from it as the idol begins to develop a growing and organic personality. This deviation serves as a representation of the expectations placed on women's bodies and beauty and how my virtual idol either meets or doesn't meet those expectations.
instagram: @thenixx_i
tiktok: @thenixx_i