Lori Hepner 

Status Symbols is a series of virtual portraits that are studies of identity in a digital age. 140 character updates on Twitter allow for virtual personas to be created that differs from physical looks. This ongoing series looks at mapping self-identity through the lens of social media updates from larger than life personalities, corporate entities, and ordinary individuals.

The abstract portraits are created with spinning LEDs that translate the words into flashing bursts of light through custom created hardware and software. These ons and offs of binary code are at the base level of digital communication. Each portrait represents a fleeting moment of identity, at least until the next status update.