f a k e NEW(s) 2.0 or The Suicide of Western Culture

Camera: Georg Divossen
TIME FOR OUTRAGE FESTIVAL 2019, 04 th July 2019, Venue: K101 Bunker, Cologne-Germany

The term „fake news“ has gained popularity since the election of U.S. President Donald Trump and Russia’s presumed meddling in the campaign. According to the German government, „troll armies“ and „fake news“ on social media are a threat to democracy. They are perceived as an external threat — an enemy from cyberspace.

It is often forgotten that opinion campaigns have always been part of the repertoire of political, economic and military conflicts. Social media are just another field, in which the dynamics of political suggestion and autosuggestion are particularly effective.

The art performance „fakeNEW(s) 2.0“ may reflect this phenomenon in its name, but actually seeks to illuminate the actions of individuals in this context and encourage self-reflection on the desire to engage in gossip, slander and prejudice.
In this performance, visual artist Hasan Hüseyin Deveci and performance artist John Herman worked with materials including newspaper, paint, canvas and glue. The performance ended after 1 hour.