The Cave

The exhibition “Bana Yalan Söylediler (They Lied To Me)” in 2022 explored the concept of post-truth, reflecting on the contemporary challenge of distinguishing fact from fiction in an increasingly complex world. The aim of the participating interactive piece “The Cave” is to highlight the resulting mental dissonance by focusing on one’s most inherent and reliable feedback for reality: one’s own shadow.

Inspired by Plato’s allegory of the cave, the project explores the notion that our perception of reality may not always align with truth. In this experience, visitors find themselves in a dark room, positioned between a ‘false’ light source and a shadow screen. Through a randomized series of vignettes, their shadows are transformed and distorted, eliciting feelings of surprise, unease, and curiosity.

Utilizing an entire-wall rear-projection screen and a computing setup comprising an infrared camera and projectors, the illusion is crafted to challenge conventional perceptions and provoke contemplation on the nature of reality.