Joey Holder - Adcredo: The Deep Belief Network

About

The advent of digital media has shown that the world is made up of a mass of circulating, disjointed and contradictory information. This multi-dimensional communications network can be easily manipulated by online groups and individuals, which can give rise to new narratives and ideologies. Using research from investigative journalism and social psychology the work takes the form of a speculative association, a corporation where ideologies are disseminated to manipulate people. Conspiracy theory, sci-fact and sci-fi, corporate and religious belief systems are woven together in this multi-dimensional work.

We live in a time of ‘hyperpolarisation’ where we think that people with different political or religious beliefs live in different worlds. Our beliefs are reaffirmed in social media echo chambers whereby abstract manipulation occurs through background algorithmic processes, pulling us further into rabbit holes and making atomized groups. The work operates by holding up multiple mirrors, reflecting different cultural sets of belief systems, to question the very foundations of what constitutes our world view. It uncovers personal journeys that lead to certain convictions and critique the platforms that pitch different belief systems against each other.

The 2016 Brexit and Trump campaigns both used the private company Cambridge Analytica to influence voters during the run up to the UK referendum and the US election. The company combines data mining and data analysis with strategic communication and is known for involvement "in military disinformation campaigns to social media branding and voter targeting". Cambridge Analytica specifically uses Facebook user activity to create psychological profiles and model personalities.

As we have seen within recent political upheaval in the last two years, popular opinion and attitudes may not be grounded in certain ‘truths’ but based upon the ‘success’ of ideas and beliefs. This is reflected in the logic of ‘Memetics’, where units of information can be replicated across cultural networks.

'Adcredo' is based around the idea of ‘Synchromysticism’ - the significance of meaningful coincidences with mystical connotation that might emerge through the collective psyche into consensus reality.
 

The project is produced in partnership with Bloc Projects, Sheffield where it launched in April 2018.