WHAT WOULD THE INTERNET LOOK LIKE IF IT WAS PHYSICAL SPACE?
WHAT
A research project and an exhibition
WHY FAIR
→ Raising Awareness: By addressing the internet’s hidden dangers.
→ Inclusive Engagement: Engaging final-year design students from Jan Kochanowski University, providing a platform for them to explore critical questions about the internet’s impact.
DESCRIPTION
Ever feel like information bubbles are teleporting us away from reality? Fake news and bots pulling the strings of elections, Facebook’s quest for world domination, and spies peeking through our smartphone cameras—sounds like the script of a dystopian thriller, right? What was once a promise of a bright future has turned into quite the internet nightmare. Can we hit the 'undo’ button on this?The internet’s dangers often lurk in the shadows, sneaky and easy to brush aside. So, we gathered some young minds—final-year design students from Jan Kochanowski University—to imagine: What if the internet were a physical space? Would it reveal its darker side better? In response, six large-scale installations were created addressing specific issues of the Internet.
COLOPHON
curator: Dominika Janicka; authors: Magda Jamka-Gale, Sandra Maciantowicz, Klaudia Pakuła, Małgorzata Popis, Kuba Święcicki (student team), Institute of Design Kielce, University of Kielce (partners); date: 2022
“Cheat & chat” Małgorzata Popis: The installation tackles internet deception and catfishing, showcasing a coffee table surrounded by chairs fitted with needle-covered seats.
„Dr Google” Jakub Święcicki: We’ve all turned to Google for health advice at some point. This installation highlights the folly of doing so, portraying random advice found on internet forums within a setup resembling an old pharmacy
„Clickbait” Klaudia Pakuła: This installation sees clickbait as a trap: a maze of scaffolding filled with random information, showing how one click can steer us off course.
„Share yourself!” Sandra Macianowicz: We often skip reading the rules on social media and just hit 'accept.’ This installation shows how quickly we give away our privacy to big tech companies.
„Fake news phone” Małgorzata Jamka: The internet offers more accessible knowledge but finding truth has become harder. This project demonstrates this challenge with a megaphone installation that distorts information.
