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HHELLBLAUU, tracking filter, horror scenes, 2008 - present


Hhellblauu is a tracking project following instances of a certain shade of sky blue/light blue. These instances are not just about the color, but the way the color is used or revealed as an interface. Hhellblauu is a tag for when this color acts as an intermediary for control, distance, power, fetishization, lust, and omnipresent friendliness, one which is often a sweet, high-pitched mask for deeper intentions.

In an age of 3d modeling, abundant production methods, and the distanced results of Google Images, it's easy to envision a synthetic material that can cover a million different types of objects and be present in a million images. As one speeds through huge numbers of image-objects, patterns emerge beyond what current search algorithms can identify.

When these corporately programmed search algorithms have the ability to filter cultural and material understandings, Hhellblauu presents an alternate set of results that has been cultivated through an intimate relationship between human and meme, one that is essentially a mutual mutation.

By following and grouping these instances, a single source of the meme is presented as a seeping synthetic liquid, one that mimics natural and linguistic tropes and that can be endlessly sourced. This seeping memetic liquid also begins to affect the vision of the tracker as user and algorithm compete for control in defining the terms of the output. As each image is scanned for the presence of Hhellblauu, a logic system is established that is intent on keeping the meme alive.

This is one of several projects like this where I accept submitted material, which often arrives with the question:"Is this Hhellblauu?" The terms of Hhellblauu's critical premise will dictate yes or no, as its results page continues to expand.

Brief writeup on PAINTED, ETC.

Results from Hhellblauu's cloud frozen into presentation format for TROLL at Envoy Enterprises, New York