Tavi Gevinson, a 28-year-old artist, has been exploring the concept of performing relationships online through her work. She recently released a satirical novella titled Fan Fiction about her friendship with Taylor Swift, shedding light on the dissonance between the self and online presentation. Gevinson’s interest in this topic stems from her public career from a young age and her desire to seek authenticity in her art and personal life. While not exactly like her character Susy in the show The Other Two, Gevinson draws from her experiences in the fashion and media industries to bring a sense of realism to the project.
Gevinson’s fascination with the facade of relationships is evident in her observations of weddings, where she spends much of her time as a young adult. She believes that there is a certain public performance of romantic relationships that occurs as one navigates adulthood, whether it be online or in person. This interest in performing relationships has led her to reflect on how her own work and persona are intertwined, seeking to find a balance between authenticity and representation in her art. Gevinson’s exploration of these themes is a reflection of her own journey in balancing her public and private selves.
The concept of maintaining appearances and projecting success in creative industries is something that Gevinson is intimately familiar with. She acknowledges the pressure to keep up appearances and make things look like they are going well, a sentiment that many can relate to in the age of social media. Gevinson’s experiences in these industries have influenced her work on The Other Two, where she draws from real-life events and interactions to satirize the fashion and media worlds she knows so well.
Despite her familiarity with the worlds of fashion and media, Gevinson admits to feeling humbled by the complexities of maintaining appearances in these fields. She recognizes the challenges of navigating the expectations and pressures of keeping up with appearances while also staying true to oneself. Through her work, Gevinson explores these themes of authenticity and persona, finding ways to balance her public image with her personal experiences and relationships. Her willingness to delve into the complexities of performing relationships and maintaining appearances reflects a deeper introspection into the nature of art and identity.
Gevinson’s work on The Other Two showcases her ability to blend satire with authenticity, drawing from her own experiences to create a nuanced portrayal of the fashion and media industries. By infusing real-life events with exaggerated humor, she is able to shed light on the challenges of maintaining appearances and performing relationships in a public sphere. Gevinson’s exploration of the slipperiness of combining a self with a persona serves as a reminder of the complexities of art and identity in the modern age, challenging audiences to consider the ways in which they navigate their own public and private selves in an increasingly connected world. Through her work, Gevinson encourages a deeper reflection on the nature of authenticity and representation, inviting audiences to consider the ways in which they present themselves in both online and offline spaces.
