Guro Sampson Welander

“My tears are glitter” investigates the circulation of imagery portraying sadness and melancholy in social media culture and how this shapes the way we perceive these feelings. Using images and screenshots sourced from TikTok, Pinterest, and Instagram, the project focuses on the repetition of similar behaviour and facial expressions. Sadness takes on the form of something desirable, as if melancholy has been refined into something one might reach for or at least recognize as a sign of depth.

In the form of a catalogue, the work highlights the visual language that emerges from the circulation of sadness online, in a new context, where these images can be viewed together rather than passively on a small screen. The catalogue is divided into three parts: facial expressions, movements, and environments. Drawing on an extensive collection of images, it aims to reveal patterns and recurring behaviours on social media, as well as in the film and fashion industry.