A video about leading a double life through the use of real life performance and social media.

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Project Statement:

Fun Fact, created by Maggie Mai, is a video which blurs the line between the real and fake. Inspired by social media influencers, mockumentaries, and her real life, Mai sparks a conversation about the ethics of lying and the larger framework of communication. Some people lie on social media to make their lives seem better than it actually is, the main character of Fun Fact is no different. They take it a step further and reveal that they have been doing this in real life as well - making viewers question if they even actually know Maggie. The video is accompanied by a supplemental Instagram account (@nocap.stone), which serves as the unreliable character’s social media. Both elements blend to speak to the progressively nebulous idea of identity in an increasingly digital world.

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Artist Statement:

Maggie Mai is a first-generation Chinese-American born and raised in New York City. She is an interdisciplinary artist working with ceramics, animation, photo, and video. The subject of most of her works draw from aspects of her life - her love for ultimate frisbee, love for animals, and experience as an Asian-American woman. Mai draws inspiration from television shows and implements irony, satire, and dry humor into her works. Her works closely relate to human behavior, from how they utilize social media to how they react to a global pandemic. She addresses social issues in a light-hearted manner to keep viewers entertained while being thought-provoking. Mai creates deceptively simple works that touch upon complex relationships, topics, and events.