Robert Frankle

Description

Elasticity refers to the plasticity of concepts as well as facts and what is perceived as the truth. In the case of 'FACT', the word is 'fact', not 'facts'. It doesn't just spell out a written word, but is a representation of itself. It is a fact that facts are elastic, much like rubber bands are. They result in tension. There is resistance. They are deformed.

The work was originally conceived in the post-truth context, how information is disseminated of the internet or by way of political communication. In reality, it has always been part of the human experience, but has taken on new meaning in the 21st century in a context in which anyone can create "news" which can then instantaneously be disseminated across the world.

The series presents other words, which resonate with elasticity in recent years. For example, a favoured concluding word of many of President Trump's tweets "SAD!", when he is anything but 'sad', an image produced on the occasion of his impeachment and anything but a 'sad' moments for his opponents. "Normal" during the COVID-19 pandemic when politicians were attempting to convince people that living with restrictions during the coronavirus pandemic was somehow 'normal'.