Photographer Photoshops Herself into Iconic Photos From History

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Photoshopped Iconic Photos I’m Everywhere by Celine Liu

Have you ever wished you were part of Andy Warhol’s Factory studio clique? Or perhaps you can imagine being best friends with Audrey Hepburn? If so, you’re not alone—Chinese photographer Silin Liu (aka Celine Liu) rewrites history by Photoshopping herself into some of the world’s most iconic images. For her series, I’m Everywhere, Liu travels through time, placing herself alongside history’s famous faces and influential cultural moments. From partying with Princess Diana to protesting alongside Martin Luther King, Liu digitally crafts her own version of reality.

Liu first began her I’m Everywhere series in 2002 as a way to explore the role of photography in the era of cultural globalization, the glorification of icons, and how images are used to visually tell stories from history. She often spends weeks on each image, from sourcing the perfect photo to then using her Photoshop skills to digitally place her charismatic alter ego, Céline, into the setting. She’s seen light painting with Pablo Picasso, at an award show with Grace Kelly, and she’s even Photoshopped herself in the car next to the Kennedys on the day of the late president‘s assassination.

“Every time we take a photograph and share it, it is like a ritual or ceremony,” says Liu in her artist statement. “We are lost in this irrational worship, meanwhile emitting an entirely new version of ourselves, or, say we are releasing our pent-up selves; such a process expels the fear and helplessness of the environment, and the original but disordered environment maybe also gives us the freedom and opportunity to reselect our fate.”

Liu’s I’m Everywhere series was awarded the Discovery Award at Jimei x Arles International Photography Season in 2016. You can see more of her ever-growing portfolio on Instagram.