Narzisstische Maschine

»Homo algorithmus« experiences today’s reality like in a nineteenth-century fairground mirror maze. In the mirror maze visitors were confronted with multiple images of themselves seemingly reflecting into infinity; they had difficulties orientating in this imaginary space and finding the way out again. The digital space potentiates the mirror maze: perpetual searching and uploading of personalized content in social networks result in a far more complex multiple self-image in digital space.

We follow our »image« and feel assured that we are indeed »we«. We affirm ourselves in a modern mirror maze, lost in a selfie culture in which our self-image has entered a permanent relationship with algorithms.

»Narzisstische Maschine« [Narcissistic Machine] doubles the real reflected images of the visitors in a projection. It continues to multiply the real image algorithmically until visitors find themselves in front of an abstract, dynamic, exploding image: the true essence of narcissism is revealed as a desire that craves recognition and love in a cycle – love that will never be found in a disintegrated multiple mirror image of oneself.

Software development: Lukas Böhm, Lukas Feller; sound: Lorenz Schwarz