THE DAY THE EARTH CAUGHT DATA  (E2)
2024

 The Day the Earth  Caught Data is developed in a series of 3 episodes that attempt to create  a fictional narrative about the end of the   world, using different locations. The title is a reference to post-apocalyptic film “The Day the Earth Caught Fire” (1961); The work   depicts a dystopian future scenario, a result of intense human presence and the constant use of digital media that accompanies it.   The continuous surveillance practices on the surface of the Earth, the wide spread of mapping applications (geodata apps), as well   as the continuous online sharing of self-referential content have a huge share in climate crisis. All three episodes will develop in   interactive installations.

 The Day the Earth  Caught Data (E2) was an interactive installation involving audience participation using primarily online material   shared by different users through Google Earth. The work attempted to draw parallels between a widely shared, seemingly   uncomplicated reality and a troublesome fiction, where the image-makers become storytellers of their own unsettling future.

A recent Guardian article wrote: “Sites are nothing more than the backdrop for our selfies because we go places not to learn from them, but just to post and boast to others that we’ve been there.” Constant surveillance practices on Earth’s surface, frequent use of  mapping apps, as well as incessant sharing self-referential content online, compliments tourism’ already significant part in climate change. The research is focused on Santorini, one of the most popular destinations in the world which has ended up facing serious environmental and sustainability problems. Its volcano, a separate piece of land surrounded by sea, receives a considerate portion of the island’s visitors on day tours.
The use of the satellite images generated by Google Earth along with screenshots taken from the online photos shared by the visitors in Google Earth’ Photosphere, attempt to construct a different, dystopian narrative. The volcanic landscap resembles that of another planet, or that of a doomsday movie setting, where the individuals strolling around look lost, exhausted and disoriented amidst the barren, uninviting surroundings.

The audience was encouraged to participate, when standing infront of the backdrop, by taking their own photos of the real-time projection and share them online.