Tech & Sci
22:41, 30-Aug-2017
Internet-inspired art project calls for attention to choices in the real world
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Internet filtering algorithms have pushed people down the spirals of pet videos, sites of products we don't really need and so much more.
Amazon's bombardments like "Customers who bought this item also bought…", Facebook's suggestions, and the endless emails in our inbox are determined to keep us in the virtual world as long as possible.
Inspired by the phenomenon, two London-based artists Scott Kelly and Ben Polkinghorne installed giant recommendation billboards across New Plymouth, on the North Island of New Zealand.
Signs of the Times
Signs of the Times
The art project was named "Signs of the Times". The signs reads “People who liked this also liked…” points to other picturesque locations in New Zealand.
Kelly and Polkinghorne told US tech media The Verge that they are hoping to make people realize how many choices are made for them nowadays.
“We’re not trying to bring about massive change, we’re just trying to get people to think a little bit more," Kelly told the travel guide publisher Lonely Planet."We actually left the signs up in each location – other than the beach. We love to think they’re still standing, almost like modern sculptures.”
Signs of the Times
Signs of the Times
According to The Verge, the two came up with the idea while they were taking the summer break back home in New Zealand earlier this year, and worked with a sign maker in Auckland to bring the idea to life.
The signs have been set up across New Plymouth, including Back Beach, Mount Taranaki, Bowl Brooklands Gardens and Westown.
Signs of the Times
Signs of the Times
10567km
Kelly and Polkinghorne