In "The sham world of our digital desires" Fleur van der Linden visualizes the false world in which GenZ lives that has been generated by algorithms. By creating a Virtual reality, which is supported by a catalog, she wants to give her audience a physical experience of the consequences that the desires arise from algorithms have on their world and self-image. By practically researching what content is linked to various marketing personas within Generation Z, she has been able to build up the false world of the digital desires. Every image in this project is based on the conclusions that algorithms have drawn about the desires of GenZ and their characteristics.
In the image above you see the first publication of the catalog.
Within the research, Fleur searched for the psychological design choices of Instagram, which ensure that we are constantly working on our digital reality, that there is a constant feeling of suspense and that we keep clicking and scrolling. Fleur translated these psychological triggers into the functionality of the virtual experience.
In the catalog, all images can be viewed as a stereotyped arrangement. The advertising images, which were found by tricking the algorithm, have been pulled apart, painted in a hyper-realistic way with oil paint and then converted back to alienating 3D objects for virtual reality. All paintings together form a meaningful image in themselves:
“An enlarged and polished reality of the online marketing surrounding generation Z”.
With this project, Fleur van der Linden wants to create more awareness within generation Z about the influences that algorithms and social media platforms have on our self-image and world view. “The sham world of our digital desires” will be exhibited in two parts. The oil paintings, illustrations, 3D objects and animations will soon be on display at LYD studio in Eindhoven. The virtual reality and catalog will be published in April, along with a follow-up project in collaboration with Fleur van der Linden, Setup and HKU. So stay tuned ...