In Search of the Truth (The Truth Booth)
A Cause Collective project (Ryan Alexiev, Hank Willis Thomas and Jim Ricks)
Various locations in Ireland.
To be launched at the Galway Arts Festival 2011. First supported by The Arts Council and the SF Foundation.
2011

In Search of the Truth (The Truth Booth) is a giant inflatable speech bubble and video recording booth that is traveling the world.

Commissioned by the Arts Council of Ireland and the SF Foundation, the ©ause Collective artists Ryan Alexiev, Hank Willis Thomas and Jim Ricks are launching the project In Search of the Truth (The Truth Booth) at the Galway Arts Festival in Ireland.

The festival takes place July 11-24, 2011 and is Ireland’s largest international arts festival. The artists are based in San Francisco, New York and Galway respectively. Much of their work has dealt with ways in which media images inform the way people perceive themselves as well as others globally. They became increasingly interested in finding ways to use installation and video art as a medium for innovative cross- cultural communication. This project initiates that conversation.

In Search of the Truth (The Truth Booth) is an installation comprised of a touring, portable, inflatable ‘Truth Booth’ that will showcase at the Galway Arts Festival. The exterior is iconically shaped like a giant cartoon speech bubble with the word ‘TRUTH’ boldly printed on the side. The interior acts much like a photo booth, but serves to compile 2 minute long video responses from the public. Once seated inside they will then be invited to record their opinions and thoughts on the question “The truth is...”

The booth will travel to well-known arts festivals, city locations, rural fairs, and the odd stop in between throughout Ireland until the end of September. As such, it will capture the diversity of viewpoints and of people in Ireland at a time of change and uncertainty. To expand and engage with audiences, the movements of the ‘Truth Booth’ and sample responses will be tracked on a dedicated website.

Once the tour is completed in Ireland this September, The Truth Booth will travel the world.

Ryan Alexiev was born in Los Angeles and raised in Alaska by Bulgarian immigrants. He received a Bachelor of Arts degree in History from the University of California at Berkeley in 1994 and an MFA from the California College of the Arts in 2007.

Hank Willis Thomas was raised in New York City. He received a BFA in Photography and Africana Studies from New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts. He received an MFA in Photography and an MA in Visual Criticism at the California College of the Arts.

Born in California, Jim Ricks received his MFA from the National University of Ireland, Galway and Burren College of Art programme and his BFA from the California College of the Arts.

www.insearchofthetruth.net | www.causecollective.com | www.galwayartsfestival.com