âMoney Making Childâ explores the troubling world of sharenting and child influencers, which are children whose digital presence is monetised by their parents. Using AI-generated images, this project sheds light on the hidden realities behind children's online innocence. These children, often girls, are encouraged to behave like mini-adults, promoting luxury products and using cosmetics intended for adults. Behind the scenes, they often work long hours, giving up their private lives to maintain a lifestyle that often supports their entire families. Many are managed as professional content creators before they even understand what that means. The line between play and work is becoming dangerously blurred. In particular, this project examines how young girls are pushed towards adult femininity and sexualised aesthetics from an early age, sometimes subtly, sometimes overtly, often under the direction of their parents. In these AI-generated images, I intentionally evoke discomfort to reveal the darker truths hidden behind glossy images and brand contracts.
This work also responds to the recent viral trend known as #SephoraKids, where children have been posting GRWM (Get Ready With Me) videos applying adult skincare and make-up routines. This phenomenon reflects a broader cultural shift where adult beauty standards are increasingly imposed on children. Using synthetic imagery, âMoney Making Childâ presents a constructed mirror to a deeply constructed reality, where childhood is monetised, aestheticised and, in many cases, stolen. The AI-generated images focus primarily on children, while including subtle visual cues that hint at the presence of an adult just outside the frame.