TAIKA MANNILA

Demon Dolls

How does it feel to be an “apocalypse influencer”? Taika Mannila ponders this question in her new exhibition. In spring 2015, Mannila started posting pictures on her Instagram account with the hashtag #whatagirlfeelz to protest against the overly positive, self-centering narratives that run rampant on Instagram.

Demon Dolls is a series of monstrous influencer characters, drawn on paper with colored pencils. The illustrations draw from the imagery of social media and reflect on its ideals, emotions and phenomena. Through her illustrations, Mannila explores influencer culture, the need for attention and approval, appearance-related pressures created by social media, and self-centeredness. The exhibition also includes a fictional audio work, a Demon Dolls zine, and a video made in collaboration with Aliina Kauranne. With her exhibition, Mannila wants to contribute to the discussion about the problems related to influencer culture and comment on the behavioral patterns we exhibit on social media.

Taika Mannila (b. 1988) is a Helsinki-based freelance illustrator and DJ, known as an advocate for femininity and girlhood. In her work, she explores themes such as social media trends and power structures.

taikamannila.com
@magicmannila