Art installation empowers selfie pictures

WINNIPEG – It’s an unassuming storefront window that’s capturing far more than just your reflection.

Behind the glass is a mirror where hundreds of Winnipeggers have been encouraged to stop and take a selfie.

“If you can’t love yourself, you can’t be happy with anyone. This is awesome; I come down here every day, and I have never seen this before,” said photo booth visitor Kendra Johnson.

“I’m not wearing any makeup at all, my hair was wet this morning when I left the house — I look awful today.”

But Johnson changed her mind about taking a shot after reading the uplifting messages painted on the glass.

“It’s basically telling you to love who you are and be proud of who you are,” said Johnson.

The Heart Every Body project was created by Winnipeg artist Kal Barteski for the Women’s Health Clinic on Graham Avenue.

“What we’re hoping people will do is be interested by the art as they walk by, and there’s a little inset where you can walk in there and experience the script and the art and the feelings and thoughts that are all around you,” said Barteski.

Men and women of all ages have snapped a pic, including Justine Sutherland, who feels the pressures of being a teenage girl.

“That’s a lot of pressure, wearing makeup, or how your hair is, or you can’t be yourself all the time,” said Sutherland.

“There’s a lot of pressure for all the kids, way more than when I was young, but I think every woman struggles with it at some point,” said Justine’s grandmother, Jo-Anne.

Using the hashtag #hearteverybody, selfie takers are asked to share their picture on social media.

“People walk away feeling really positive about themselves and if we can do that for more people, that would be amazing,” said Barteski.

The installation will run until end of November but Barteski hopes it will also pop up in different cities across the country.