Sophie Ebbs

Social Notion explores the tension between public perception and private experience through the lens of migration, visibility, and self-reflection. Drawing from my experience of relocating to Australia, the work takes the form of a large transparent suitcase structure that positions the participant as both observer and observed.

While visible from the outside, the interior is lined with one-way mirrored surfaces that reflect the individual back onto themselves, creating a heightened sense of self-awareness and isolation within a social environment. By placing the participant physically on display, the installation examines how individuals instinctively begin to perform and regulate themselves in response to being watched, reflecting socially constructed behaviours reinforced through contemporary digital culture.

Contained within the space is an interactive acetate zine inspired by the visual language of social media. Layered imagery and text combine curated online personas with quieter reflections on loneliness, uncertainty, and emotional distance. Referencing the ways digital platforms encourage selective forms of visibility, the work examines how experiences are filtered, performed, and softened for public consumption. Through reflection, transparency, and interaction, the installation creates a juxtaposition between how experiences are presented socially and how they are privately lived.