Novelist Julia Zolotova Hosts Discussion on Performed Identity at Fulham LibraryAuthor of The Influencer's Canvas explores algorithmic beauty and the disappearance of unperformed consciousness in intimate 90-minute discussion drawn from forthcoming novel Project Mirror.
The discussion explores what happens when individuals become their own constant audience, internalising scrutiny to the point where even imagined private moments remain performative. Zolotova will read from Project Mirror, a work-in-progress examining a near-future where beauty becomes algorithmic and facial features require software updates, then facilitate conversation about the philosophical implications of digital self-presentation. 'We're conducting a massive experiment on human consciousness in real-time,' says Zolotova. 'The UK has the highest beauty filter use in Europe. Filter dysmorphia is now a clinical diagnosis. We're not heading towards algorithmic beauty - we're building it. This conversation asks what we're losing in the process.' The event addresses questions including whether unmediated experience remains possible, at what point self-improvement becomes self-erasure, and how constant documentation shapes consciousness. Participants will engage with an exercise exploring the last action they performed that no one could ever know about, with most people unable to identify anything. Zolotova brings unique perspective to these questions. With fifteen years working as a nail artist for London's cultural elite alongside an MSc in Marketing, she has documented beauty industry dynamics and influencer culture from insider positions. Her five published novels explore immigrant identity, beauty industry secrets, digital romance, and influencer culture, with work receiving the Creativitys.UK Award and Stein Arts Award. The Influencer's Canvas, her 2025 novel about content creators at an exclusive Maldives retreat, examines the performance of authenticity through cutting social satire. Project Mirror extends these themes into speculative territory, questioning what survives when beauty becomes software and consciousness is shaped by algorithmic living. The Fulham Library event targets audiences interested in contemporary literature, beauty technology, digital culture, and philosophical questions about identity in the algorithmic age. Format includes manuscript reading, facilitated discussion, and audience participation, with emphasis on genuine enquiry rather than predetermined conclusions. Free entry with advance registration required at https://www.meetup.com/ Additional information available at https://juliazolotovawriter.com/ End
|
|
Account Phone Number