Selfie stick: from narcissism to death, an art and cultural phenomenon

The selfie stick, a contemporary accessory for smartphone self-portraits, has evolved from a youth trend to a universal behavior used by figures like Barack Obama and Tom Hanks. Its precursors date back to the 1920s. Artists have reimagined it with morbid themes: Pablo Garcia's 'Memento Mori (Selfie Stick)' includes a pixelated skull via anamorphosis; Joan Cornellà's cartoon shows a couple with a revolver instead of a camera; Justin Crowe and Aric Snee's 'Selfie Stick Arm' features a fake human hand. Beyond symbolism, selfies have caused real deaths: according to Priceonomics, 49 people died from 2014 onward while attempting selfies (average age 21, 75% male), mostly from falls. India leads with 19 deaths, prompting 16 'no-selfie zones'; Russia also has restrictions. The article by Valentina Tanni appears in Artribune Magazine #30.