Selfies dominate the internet, as people continuously post them on their social media accounts. Over the years, since selfies have become popular, the word ‘selfie’ became a definition, a medical term, a show title, and a work of art. Just as there are many ways to interpret any kind of selfie, there are various ways to create one. To kick off the semester, Ricardo Fonseca would like to present to the Kean community Kean Selfie: KEAN CULTURE AT ARM’S LENGTH.

Fonseca works for Kean University as a graphic and web designer. His passion for art has been with him since he was a child, and has grown tremendously since then. With three Art Directors Club of New Jersey [ADCNJ] awards, a Bachelor of Fine Arts [BFA] degree, and more than fifteen years of experience, Fonseca is taking his endeavors to another level as he begins to create the Kean Selfie Wall. His artwork “features a fusion between graphic design, photography, illustration, and installation,” comments Fonseca.

“The inspiration for this exhibition... was seeking participation from everyday people (in this case, the Kean community) to contribute to the artwork. Further, I have always been perplexed at how many students stop by the Starbucks at the Nancy Thompson Library, yet most of them don't even know that there is this small jewel of a gallery with amazing artworks on display throughout the entire year,” says Fonseca. The “small jewel of a gallery” is where the Kean Selfie wallpaper is located. The gallery is named Nancy Dryfoos Gallery which is slightly to the right of Starbucks. “With this in mind, I sought to create an artwork that would encourage the people in the selfies, such as students, faculty, staff, and alumni, to come back to the gallery and see the product of their selfie submissions, posted on the walls,” continues Fonseca.

Kean selfie will overtake the wall(s) of the Nancy Dryfoos Gallery over the course of a month beginning on Thursday, August 28, and ending on September 25. Students, faculty, staff, and visitors are encouraged to take selfies that include school spirit; so take a selfie while watching a football game or while wearing Kean gear, but don’t forget to be creative. As more and more selfies are submitted, the Kean Selfie wall will eventually turn into the Kean Selfie wallpaper.

Now since selfies can also be taken not just for social media, all students, faculty and staff who would like to be on the Kean Selfie wall should submit up to three selfies. The selfies can be submitted by either electronically mailing the photo(s) to keanselfie@kean.edu or by scanning the QR code on the displays located in the University Center and the Nancy Thompson library. There are new additions to the wall daily, Fonseca explains “every day, I post on the gallery wall(s), the new selfies that were submitted and I also document with photographs, the progression and growth of the KEAN Selfie exhibition.” The pictures will be posted on the wall at random with a free-flow style.

To visit the gallery and to see the progression of the Kean Selfie wallpaper, Nancy Dryfoos Gallery hours are as follows: Monday through Thursday: 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., Friday through Saturday: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. To see the final project of the Kean selfie visit the gallery on its final day, September 25, at 4 p.m. To see more of Fonseca’s work visit the study lounge in Nancy Thompson Library and the study lounge in Hutchinson Hall.