On the (Side)line

The project “On the (Side)line” is an expanded media installation combining a painting and a video artwork, connected through Augmented Reality. This work examines the challenging conditions faced by content moderators who curate social media, machine learning, and other major areas of the technology sector, often with minimal psychological support. “On the (Side)line” reminds us that these workers are on the front lines, ensuring social media and AI remain safe for users. Their concerns, wishes, and interests deserve our attention. Grounded in a transdisciplinary approach, the project employs a hybrid, multi-modal method.

While the team at JKU focused on the research, Lennart Grau and Carla Streckwall collaborated on an interpretation of the topic in each respective medium:  Lennart plays with the stylized image of digital capitalism—the colorfulness portraying the overly optimistic vision of digital platform capitalism. The painting mimics a computer screen used by content moderators and AI trainers. The cracks visualize the dark side, visible only to the content moderators, highlighting the horrors they encounter in this low-paid work. The painting offers the viewer a glimpse behind the polished façade of social media platforms and artificial intelligence, revealing insights into the darker aspects of data streams.

The video artwork was produced in AI with Stable Diffusion, the machine was asked to visualise content moderators looking at disturbing and harmful content. The video is a travel through various interpretations from abstract to more figurative images. The AR layer depicts how those who are sidelined are actually on the front lines. This artwork makes the invisible visible.

More info and research material

Painting and AR Video intsallation with sound, 2024
Painting: 300x200cm
Video: 2K, stereo sound, 1:50 min

Painting: Lennart Grau
Video and App: Carla Streckwall

A collaboration with JKU Linz, AU for Ars Electronica 2024
Scientific Team: Thomas Gegenhuber, Laura Thäter, Sarah Maric

04.09.–08.09.2024
MED Campus JKU Linz
Ars Electronica 2024