A satirical news broadcasting agency encompassing a website, magazine, newspaper, a podcast episode, two short documentaries, and merchandising.
The project set out to question institutions of power through the application of the Myth of Sisyphus.
Style guide established through illustrations and solid colours. A lot of white space reminiscent of traditional newspaper layouts.
The main "the Sisyphean" character applied throughout the deliverables and promotional material.
The website design considerations were stretched to allow for all types of content, while conforming to the style guide of bold colours and tons of white space.
The site also doubles as the stage for the live podcast, enabling viewers to send in questions via a dedicated submit box in the top right.
The carousel filled with content at the bottom maintains attention during the live-stream breaks.
The resulting "agency" playfully pokes at influencers and other opinion-shaping entities. It asks the viewer to participate in the construction of a critical perspective toward the hidden narratives within content that paves the way for troubling real-world developments.
The addition of a manifesto extrapolates further on this argument.
A (timely) comment:
Part of why this work holds its value— around 5 years later— is because of the rising sentiment of anti-intellectualism consequently setting the stage for conversations about counter-narratives. I’m writing this in February of 2025, everywhere you look, resentment towards anything that would allow us to exercise our minds or build us up as people capable of critical thought is growing.
This project was built up as a scavenger hunt first, and a thought experiment second. The "agency" was always meant to be interactive, especially given its mid-COVID launch.
The myth of Sisyphus, its lessons, was broken into parts and dispersed throughout every piece of media this faux-company produced. The goal for the viewer was to pick up on the naming, recognize the thematics, and have fun putting the puzzle back together, learning about banal manipulation tactics throughout the process.
I’d almost forgotten how satisfying falling down research rabbit holes is.
It isn’t important to just read and learn, it’s important to stretch beyond our comfort, an ever-shrinking, too-heavily-guarded space. Seek out that which is hard. Whatever happened to curiosity?
the Sisyphean
HYBRID EVENT CURATION, IDENTITY DESIGN, VIDEOGRAPHY, MERCHANDISING, LIVESTREAM ASSETS, GRAPHIC ASSETS
