(Hyper)Reality in the Digital Age

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This project is an attempt of demonstrating the concept of (hyper)reality in the digital age, through a series of videos.

The choice of producing videos as a final outcome was made firstly because video making is considered the ultimate form of art of the 21st century, and secondly because of its very nature, being the last narrator of absolute objectivity. The camera can be compared to god’s eyes, an external and impartial viewer.

The visual perception is the field which has been more influenced by the new digital media and through this video I tried to capture how from the representation of the real and its referential images it is possible to move into a world where the representation of reality is replaced by a different dimension, where all signs of reality acquire a new dimension of meaning.

The three videos are divided in three parts for two reasons. Firstly to recall the Christian’s holy iconography (a vernacular trinity), in order to underline how the process of Digitalisation and globalisation have led to the elevation of the image to a level of holiness independently and autonomously from its content.

Secondly, to define a structure which puts in dialogue and visual relation past, present and future.

With digitalisation, access to information has not only become easy but it is in fact inevitable and unavoidable

The first video is a hallucinogenic patchwork, at times seemingly random, which reflects about the concept of reality, sometimes in contrast and sometimes in line with what is its virtual representation.

The second adopts ‘connection’ and ‘network’ as the key words. Big data is the name that officially represents the registration of our actions, our researches and our wishes. Big data is the mirror of humanity; it is not just good or bad, it is horrific and wonderful; it is created by humans but grows independently by algorithms.

The third video is a tribute to some of the many artists I met during the process of collecting material and documents to prepare my dissertation (by the way it is recommended to read the dissertation before watching the videos). The video ends as a sort of metaphoric epilogue: a server-room seen as a modern reliquary of information. Information that once generated has its own life, and that is always accessible. Stored, then redefined and altered as vernacular simulacra; it will survive well after our earthly remains will be gone, in eternal rest, ready to wake up when requested.