The widespread availability and use of digital gadgets
Everywhere you go, it's hard to escape. Escapade is merely a dream. We love and loathe them equally: TikTok, Instagram, BeReal, and all the other leisurely activities. Social media is always reachable, with an addictive allure. The exhibit "BE.LIKE.ME. Social Media and Me." in Erfurt delves into this realm of temptation.
Evenings, smartphones sparkle on the beautifully laid table. In living and bedrooms, computers, tablets, and TVs join in. Only the digital devices illuminate the rooms. Each time a person interacts with them, their light flickers on. The prevalence of digital gadgets is strikingly apparent in Maria Mavropoulou's thoughtfully arranged photo series, one of twelve artists in the interactive exhibit "BE.LIKE.ME. Social Media and Me." in Erfurt.
The "World of Temptations" foundation investigates the alluring potential of social media platforms in the exhibit. Since Facebook's inception 20 years ago, they have seeped into our daily lives. Social media, with its pros and cons, is here to stay. Everyone seeks something different. One craves information or shopping, another seeks a partner, distraction, social connections, or validation.
Everyone has a profile somewhere, is always online, constantly commenting, yet feels alone with themselves and their device. The mercilessly personalized algorithm keeps us hooked. It knows our preferences before we do. The work "YOU:R:CODE" uncovers these mechanisms. As we transition from one analog mirror to the next panel, our body is captured in three dimensions by a camera and computer, transforming us into a digital object. One panel farther, our body size, gender, and ethnicity are calculated. Now our body becomes a digital user identity - an industrially and socially decipherable code. Finally, we arrive in the future, where our DNA and constantly monitored online data merge. While this is just a vision, for now.
It's Time to Chat!
The special exhibit discusses our relationship with social media, blending science and art. Current research is grounded in facts. Behavioral addiction researchers largely focus on likes and FOMO (Fear of Missing Out). Artfully personalized content emotionally engages users. Likes instill a sense of belonging. Fear of missing out grows. One skips sports or dates, withdraws from real life, and becomes more engrossed in digital worlds.
The selected artworks touch upon this, inviting self-reflection and dialogue with others. "Social networks have become inseparable from our daily lives, the smartphone is always within reach. Who deserves my attention in the family and among friends? Maria Mavropoulou's work highlights this and encourages us to contemplate social media usage together," says Susanne Rockweiler from ntv.de. "When does the smartphone disrupt during dinner? What price am I willing to pay to put it away?" The cultural scientist is the exhibit's curator and has led the foundation, established in 2021, for two years.
A diverse program of panel discussions, tours, or readings enhances the exhibit "BE.Like.ME.". Apps like Instagram, YouTube, etc., offer opportunities but also dangers that can fuel addictive behavior. Social media addiction has yet to be recognized as a disease by the WHO. Cautious estimates suggest that, however, four to five percent of Germans may be affected. Among young people, the figure could be as high as eight percent.
"World of Temptations"
The exhibit aims to shed light on addiction, dependencies, and intoxication in all their facets, without condemning or demonizing them. When does the ordinary become an obsession that controls our lives? The questions and themes are numerous, ranging from gambling, tobacco, alcohol, cannabis to social media.
Plans are underway for an exhibition house set to open in 2027. The architectural competition concludes on December 3rd. The Free State of Thuringia and the federal government are backing this ambitious project, where addiction experts, happiness researchers, neuroscientists, and artists will unite with the audience.
Inspiring Food for Thought
"Addiction is often associated with prejudices and is largely a taboo topic," says Susanne Rockweiler. She believes that art serves as a means to engage within society and reach many people. Through painting, installations, sculptures, or video works, individuals who have struggled with addiction find understanding. Thanks to its simplicity, people can interact with these complex topics easily. Providing food for thought has a longer-lasting, more sustainable impact than deterrence, which often only yields short-term results.
A fundamental aspect of the exhibit concept involves integrating school classes, says Rockweiler. They participated in the project "How are you? Social Media and you." As answers, they created an image with a poetic, brief text. Several results will be displayed on smartphones within the exhibit, inviting visitors to swipe through them. Eighth and tenth graders surprisingly express that social media keeps them captive for too long. Five minutes elapse in a blink. "It feels like I'm trapped. Dependent on the thrill. On the constant dopamine that scrolling provides," penned a student.
The realization: Everyone is on the networks, but no one has a solution for minimizing use. The drawbacks need to be addressed. Conversations are sparked through interaction - and this exhibition encourages it. The installation "#Sugarmacht" invites the audience to become influencers. Of course, in a whimsical setting with pink lighting, a giant bed, and mirrored walls. Reflecting on how to behave on the selfie stage is enjoyable.
Alright, shifting gears here, the exhibition transforms into a mirror for our digital persona. Why can't we part ways with our smartphones? The creativity behind apps hooks us in, making it tough to stay away. At their gig in Munich, Coldplay urged everyone to stow their digital gadgets in their pockets. Temporary freedom from distractions managed to captivate us for a song. In Erfurt, art is used to detox from the digital world: you wield a paintbrush drenched in blue pigment, tracing a line with your eyes closed and while exhaling. Is it truly that difficult to relinquish our smartphones?
BE.LIKE.ME Digital Hub and I, up until October 31st, Anger 28, 99084 Erfurt
For the catalog and more insights on Temptation's Realm
In the exhibit, a digital artwork titled "YOU:R:CODE" unveils the mechanisms behind social media's personalized algorithms, showing how they keep users engaging and addicted. Art serves as a powerful tool to explore complex topics like addiction, reaching a broader audience and fostering long-lasting impacts.
In the interactive exhibit, "Social networks have become an integral part of our daily lives," as Susanne Rockweiler, the exhibit's curator, points out. She believes in the transformative power of art, encouraging society to engage in conversations about social media usage and addiction.
