digital landfill, (In-progress)

Today’s digital communication platform performs like a giant meat market within the phantom of Neoliberal capitalism. Visual content is stripped naked to accelerate information exchange thus stimulating instantaneous gratification of desire. Anything that does not perform along with that pornographic aesthetic becomes invisible to the algorithm. Yet, if our desire can be fulfilled instantly, then what is this insatiable shared feeling of emptiness especially amid this pandemic? As the inhibitors of this digital realm, we are both creator and consumer battling over visibility. We are entangled with the algorithmic reflection of the self in this reflective room of mirrors. Drowning within the endless cycle of overproduction and overconsumption orchestrated through the exploitation of the self. Instead of caring for the self and knowing the self, we voluntarily exploit the self in hope of exchange of visibility and likes, only to benefit big corps that toys with our data. Mitchell Foucault once asked, "What are we in our actuality?" Amongst the rapid advancement of contemporary digital technology and our everyday engagement with social media, maybe it is dire for us to reestablish the technology of the self through a communal pause from the desire to consume. A shared connection not through performing the same act, but having the privilege of not doing anything together. In response to that, Digital Landfill is an internet-based project that invites the viewers to explore within a digital landscape made of visual fragments collected through Instagram. The fragmentation of the initial smooth digital image keeps viewers at a playful distance, encouraging viewers to look, guess, and engage. While this digital realm constantly perpetuates the importance of visibility and hyper-activeness, this digital landfill hopes to create a counter experience. A place reserved for contemplative lingering instead of consumption. 

To access the project
Multi-user version with others | Single-user version (if multiplayer is too laggy for you)