Likes & Follows

Likes & Follows is inspired by the classic game of Chutes & Ladders and its parallels to social media algorithms, where every post can feel like a roll of the dice. An audience may suddenly grow, disappear, climb upward, or slide back down without warning.

The grid of green squares functions as both a game board and a scrolling social media feed. I chose green because it is often associated with growth, while ladder shapes appear in the background and negative spaces throughout the piece. The inner boxes resemble staircases moving up and down and are filled with dice with blank faces, emphasizing chance and uncertainty rather than fixed outcomes.

The curved embroidery is stitched with a running stitch that resembles a line of repeating number ones flowing through the composition. As an artist, sharing work online often feels like learning the rules of a complicated game while actively playing it.

9 x 4 x4 inches
paper, hand embroidery, handdyed wood
2024