Francis Fogarty

Conspiracy theories no longer exist solely on the fringes. Once dismissed as deranged rumours and ideas, they are now increasingly prevalent in mainstream culture. As distrust in governments and institutions grows, and anger-driven algorithms shape what we see online, these ideas are becoming more visible, persuasive, and socially acceptable.

Conspiracy Culture visualises the online feedback loop that provides us with endless, aggravating, and often unverifiable ideas. It explores how conspiracy theories often contain elements of truth, but bury them beneath layers of misinformation, making it difficult to know what to trust.

The project includes a poster that maps how algorithms lead users from familiar, mainstream conspiracy theories towards increasingly extreme content. It also features an obscured screen that mirrors the disorientating experience of conspiracy doomscrolling, requiring the viewer to physically engage in order to reveal the video. Together, these works explore how conspiracy theories have become more visible, permissible, and influential in contemporary life.