Helene Hochrieser

In an age where algorithmically generated simulations increasingly shape ourselves and our surroundings, the question is no longer whether something is real, but how it changes us. The theoretical foundation of this thesis is based on Baudrillard’s concept of the three orders of the simulacrum: (1) imitation, (2) masking, and (3) the model that has lost reference to its real origin. It extends this framework by proposing a fourth order: models today are not simply representations of reality, but actively shape it through their integration into everyday life and therefore influence perception, values, and norms. Rather than stimulating discourse on complex questions and dilemmas, such models increasingly define the conditions under which decisions are made, efficiently and often unnoticed. They shift from an open discourse to silent preselection, embedded in interfaces, algorithms, and automated processes. By exposing us to fragmented, abstracted, and algorithmically shaped representations of the self, the accompanying installation invites us to reflect on whether such constructed reflections still point us towards the questions that matter most.