Verity

Artist Statement:

In an age where information oscillates between the stark realms of authenticity and fabrication, my project aims to be a digital exploration of truth, perception, and isolation—a reflective mirror to our media-saturated culture. Drawing inspiration from Christine Paul’s definition of digital art, which emphasizes the process, interactivity, and the pivotal role of technology in shaping modern narratives, this online game is conceived as both an aesthetic and conceptual inquiry into our digital epoch.

At the heart of the work lies a seemingly barren room: an empty, subliminal space bathed in unnervingly bright fluorescent lights and underlined by a monotone carpet. This environment serves as a metaphor for the solitary struggle inherent in navigating today’s deluge of news—real and fabricated. The room is not merely a setting, but an active agent in the narrative, encapsulating the existential isolation felt by individuals in a society inundated with often conflicting information. Here, the singular desk stands as a beacon of focus, a solitary island where one must confront the overwhelming task of discerning truth from lie. This minimalist yet evocative space underscores the digital art tenet that process and interactivity are not only means of expression but also vehicles for personal introspection.

The narrative framework is propelled by an omnipotent narrator whose voice guides, yet also mystifies, the player’s journey. Tasked with separating real news from fake headlines, the player embarks on a quest that is as much about self-examination as it is about media literacy. As headlines evolve from the mundane to the absurd, the game mirrors the escalating chaos of our current news landscape, blurring the boundaries between reality and artifice. This interactivity—where the participant’s choices directly shape their understanding of truth—is central to digital art, aligning with Paul’s assertion that technology not only facilitates new forms of engagement but also challenges us to reconsider our relationship with information.
In the unfolding gameplay, the digital interface becomes a dynamic space where the act of sorting headlines is imbued with layers of symbolic meaning. Each selection at the desk is a microcosmic exploration of the broader societal struggle to distinguish fact from fiction, a struggle that has grown increasingly complex in the digital era. By engaging with this interactive process, the player is invited to confront the inherent instability of the “truth” itself. The interplay between the narration, the stark setting, and the progressive absurdity of the headlines encapsulates an experience that thrives on transformation, interaction, and the interplay between human perception and technological mediation.

Furthermore, the project serves as a social commentary on the very nature of contemporary media. In a landscape where even real news can seem surreal, the game’s increasing absurdity questions the veracity of our digital experiences. The process of sorting through these headlines becomes a metaphor for the cognitive labor we must all engage in daily, sifting through streams of information to construct our understanding of the world. In this way, the work not only reflects digital art’s capacity to question and reinterpret cultural narratives but also acts as a catalyst for personal and collective reflection on our roles as consumers and curators of digital content.
Ultimately, my work is an invitation to pause, to reflect, and to engage with the profound complexities of our modern, mediated existence. It reaffirms that digital art is not just a product of technology but rather an exploration of living in a digitally interconnected world, where every interaction is both an act of creation and an act of interpretation.