Curator Helena Reckitt articulates how “a range of contradictory positions on the care of the self and others play out in the work of Claire Fontaine. The video Untitled (You can cut anyone), based on a self-help manual, presents a fiercely individualistic vision in which anyone perceived as a toxic threat to the self can be ‘cut,’ as a tumour from the body.”

The “self-help” tips in Claire Fontaine’s video are delivered by an actress who specializes in advertising. She recites controversial messages from self-help gurus often propagating a dangerous social Darwinistic discourse that prioritizes individual pursuit of happiness and wealth over collective good. The aesthetic and rhetorical style of Claire Fontaine’s video mimics that of an instructional self-help video, playing with the convention of a single charismatic speaker, who often flattens or oversimplifies necessarily complicated issues. The video highlights the dominance of sweeping vague statements and absolutism about mental health, relationships, and personal/professional development in mainstream self-care rhetoric. The tone and delivery is often declarative and absolute, reinforcing individualism and leaving little-to-no room for alternative responsibilities and realities. In so doing, the work reminds us that the self-help genre—be it videos, books, social media platforms, or other channels—can engender a dangerous form of selfishness where individualism and productivity are celebrated and valued over the wellbeing of others.