Abstract / DOI
Blinks of an eye. Notes on the Disguised Face. Facial expressions are becoming ever more important in network communications. Grimaces and artificial facial expressions are practiced, delegated to emojis and reflected back. It is all about showing feelings. Selfies are edited and sent. Meanwhile, in times of Corona, our mask-protected faces shape many of our everyday encounters. Some people feel that the mouth-nose protection is not only a bother, but also interferes with our ability to perceive the other person. While manipulation of facial expression in the world of images is virtually limitless, facial expressions in the real world seem to be increasingly impoverished. Reflections on the role of the gaze in interpersonal encounters are discussed, intending to make us consider whether this loss balance is based on face figments instead of actual experiences, on face-to-face encounters that contemporary images of faces insinuate, but which are not confirmed by our everyday experiences.