M E N U

Sofia Nissila // Graphic Design + Visual Culture, WdKA
graduationproject.hotglue.me

I N F O

I N S P I R A T I O N

AIM
My aim was to expand one of my earliest photo manipulations I made. I found it intriguing because it's about adding something to the common landscape... A mythical place, new rendered space and time, an Imagined place.

During this process I tried to accuintance myself with the concept of Hyperstition.


ACTION
For the first time, I tried Google Earth Studio (GES), an animation tool for Chrome. I also used Photoshop and After Effects to finish my videos.


RESULT
One image manipulation and 3 short animations/videos.


REFLECTION
For me, it was most intresting what happened with my second video.
the second video is based on a glitch I managed to capture in GES; I was able to "enter" under ground, inside Mother Earth. From this I created an alternative universe.

(Pyramids > see short research)
Pyramids reminded me of the Tower of Babel.



I wonder if Hyperstition relates to my experiments.

I wonder, how this comes back to the UFO photogrpahs and poor image, Google Earth as a design tool etc.



SUGGESTIONS FOR FUTURE EXPERIMENTS
_visual experiments on how the mythos comes to life; unique visual language is already emerging from my experiments.


THEORY REFERENCES

* Hyperstition

* Mythology =study of myths AND a body of myths related to culture. Roman, Greek and Norse mythologies have their own gods and stories (about birth of universe, heroes etc)
"Ideology in narrative form."

* Mythos = Stories connected to tradition. Also; the term is used to refer to modern to myths; constructed, fictional (Chtulu myth by HP Lovecraft).

(* Interface)

R E S U L T S

I

IMAGE MANIPULATION / AMIDST THE PYRAMIDS

II

VIDEO

III

VIDEO

IV

VIDEO

HYPERSTITION?

Hype = accelerated
(Supe)rstition = myth-systems

Combination of myth and science

Hyperstition is a neologism for fiction turning into facts. In this TEDx talk, Delphi briefly discusses capitalism as a hyperstitious example: Capitalism is a positive feedback loop, that is a product of technological acceleration, and it feeds to it as well.

"Hyperstition is sci-fi of self-fulfilling prophecies."

The elements of hyperstition are:
1. fiction becomes real (thru speculation)

2. our future(s) are imagined for us
Our futures, apocalypse, are imagined for us by the media through action/sci-fi movies that seem plausible.

3. constant change and accelerationism

4. connection to The Old Ones


Keywords to understand:
*Culture = inclusive system of values and myths
*Mechanosphere =
*Anthropocene = geological place and time where human actions are morphing the surface of the Earth.

Examples of hyperstition: capitalism, memes (sort of)


TEDx TALK
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wdj9ChIRoqU

Delphi Carstens

“how we can image ourselves”
“how is destiny culturally produced”

Orphan Drift

Culture?
= myth systems

example of a Myth we live with: earth’s resources are infinite

Mechanosphere
acceleration of tech
gadgets, devices
urban super sprawls, parking lots, satellites, information superhighways
speculation: who and what we are

Hyper =accelerated
_stition > superstition = myth-systems

sci-fi of self-fulfilling prophecies

chinese puzzle box


four elements:

1. element: the fictive culture that makes itself real
_ stock market > speculations, but have real-life consequences to the economy
_ infinite growth-curve (like, technology)



2. element: fictional quality, functioning as a time-traveling device
_our future is imagined for us, by the media
_movies like Terminator, The Road, Matrix, 12 Monkeys
_they seem plausible because they seem real



3. element:
_ co-incidence intensifier
_rapid
_ capitalism is an example: intensity, positive feedback loops, that contribute to accelerations of technology and amplify the scope of the change
_technology > urban centers became petri-dishes for hyperstition
_cultural fiction
_continious social, economic change >> _future.shock
_ continuous change > continuous distraction
_immersed in ecstasy of communication



4. element
_hyperstition the old ones
_vision machines
_hidden dimension of natures
_aliens on the other side
_our time is mythic time
_we are morphed with tech
_antroposcene
_Mother Gaia is a cyborg?
_asteroids struck on earth
_techno-music


we need new stories to guide us into the future.



Delphi is a lecturer at UWC, as well as half of the duo which makes up Groovy Troopers Productions - creators of temporary autonomous zones in the form of art & trance festivals. Delphi is currently completing a doctorate thesis, and will present on: "Hyperstition" -- a neologism that combines the words 'superstition' and 'hype' to describe how fictions become fact and how our narratives (stories) shape our world. It also describes, particularly, the narrative of capitalism, which is driven by hype and speculation and, which more importantly, turns fictions into facts. One very important fiction that Delphi will be discussing is the fiction of the apocalypse. Focusing on the current secular meaning of apocalypse as well as how popular culture views our current global crisis and the importance of imagining ourselves differently. Hyperstition also describes the nexus where myth or magic and science meet.A backdrop to the Talk will be a video work of Mer Roberts entitled "A Wilderness of Elsewheres". Delphi explores the world of Hyperstition, a word coined by philosopher Nick Land to describe the manner by which hype and speculation become facts in contemporary society. I will use examples from science and popular culture to illustrate exactly what hyperstitions are and how they function. The future is looking uncertain and how we imagine this future may be more important than we realise. This talk will be both an intellectual and a felt experience.

PYRAMIDS?

Pyramids are high triangle-like constructions, reaching for the skies. In ancient Egypt, they were build as mausoleums for pharaos, a departure point for afterlife, filled with goods. There are chambers and passageways inside.

Different types of pyramids are found in Egypt, China, South America.

Pyramids are, until this day, an engineering miracle. How were they built? What kind of technology was involved? These questions have sparked Ancient Astronaut theorists to share their theories about this subject. They believe that the technology involved was handed by extraterrestials who came to visit earth. This corresnponds with the notion that the Giza pyramids are layed like the stars of the Orion's belt.


What I find interesting is that, like any vertical shape, pyramids reach for the skies like gothic churches. Also, there are secrets and myths around these stone constructions.

In other words, pyramids are associated with ancient times as well as a demonstration of engineering skills. There are still conspiracies and myths regarding this topic. They hide inside secrets, in form of hieroglyphs and artefacts and mummies. Pyramids are a demonstration of devotion, a devotion to the idea of afterlife.

- - -

Vertical shape and ascencion

Pieter Bruegel the Elder - The Tower of Babel (1563)

The pyramids of Giza (Necropolis)

Facade of Notre Dame de Paris, facade begun about 1200

AMIDST THE PYRAMIDS / ANCIENTFUTURE PYRAMIDS - aftermath

Reflection
What I was trying to do? To create a fantasy, a myth. Or feed in to the myth? 

More information

I don't know if hyperstition comes through enough from my imagery/ideas... I mean, the concept itself is a bit hard to grasp. How I explain it to others: culture of fiction becomes fact, through speculation and self-fulfilling prophecy and coincidencies.

In a way, UFO photographs do just that. Photographs are considered as the materialised "proof" that UFOs exist > thanks to built-in biases of human brains > this creates a feedback loop.

I think the concept is interesting. It combines science and magic; two worlds, that are considered separate.
It does relate to UFOs and sci-fi, and would work well with my project.

"element of effective culture that makes itself real"

Are conspiracy theories about myth-making? or myht-tampering? or contributing to myth? or addressing the myth? or de-bunking myth?

Culture = set of shared myths?

ufos are a myth? but it is real to some. and also, it is disregrded by some as taboo, crazy etc.
Subculture?

- - -

Ancientfuture pyramids = ancient model, construction, shape, connotations,
ancient form meets "future": speculation and sci-fi, constructed via imagination.

ANCIENTFUTURE PYRAMIDS

Pyramids
> passage to afterlife, an intermediate stop, resting place, preservation of body and earthly goods, an engineering miracle, upward vertical shape, ancient astronauts, conspiracy theories

Click image to read an article about a discovery underwater

16.4.2019

PROJECT MONOCEROS