Saatchi Gallery's Nigel Hurst on Selfies as Art and the #SelfExpression Contest

Saatchi Gallery CEO Nigel Hurst discusses the success of the exhibition 'From Selfie to Self-Expression' and the new #SelfExpression contest in partnership with Huawei. The show, extended to July 23, 2017, is the first to explore selfie history from Old Masters to today. Over 14,000 participants from 113 countries entered the earlier #SaatchiSelfie contest, with ten winners exhibited. The new contest invites artists, photographers, and creatives to submit works using smartphones, with the winner earning a solo show at Saatchi. Hurst argues that digital tools democratize art creation and sharing, citing Amalia Ulman's Instagram project 'Excellences & Perfections' as an example of self-representation outside gallery spaces. He notes that while technology shifts access, galleries remain vital for fostering debate. The exhibition also features ten British photographers commissioned by Huawei and Leica to create smartphone images. Hurst links the show to Saatchi's legacy of launching the Young British Artists with 'Sensation' 25 years ago, positioning selfies as a legitimate art form in a digital age.