Workshop - Simon Lehner

For this workshop, ECAL invited Simon Lehner, a Vienna-based visual artist whose interdisciplinary practice spans photography, 3D rendering, AI-generated imagery, lens-based paintings, and sculptures.

Social media algorithms manipulate memory and emotions by trapping users in echo chambers of repetitive imagery and ideas. These visual cycles exploit memory processes, triggering emotional responses—such as fear, envy, or desire—that reinforce behavioral patterns. Corporations leverage photographic images to target insecurities, activating primal instincts to drive consumption and engagement.

 Before the workshop, students were invited to reflect on their personal echo chambers—encountered on their social media feeds. They were asked to think about the following:

   •   What trends or niches were suggested to you?
   •   Which emotions played a role in these trends?
   •   What emotional responses did they trigger in you?

By analyzing these patterns, students gained insight into how photographic images and algorithms influence memory, emotions, and behavior. This critical awareness serveed as a foundation for exploring the broader societal implications of visual media.

1/3

2024_S3_MAP2_RohrMirielle-FirstName_SimonLehner_SoftPhotographyWorkshop_8.jpg — ECAL/Mirielle Alina Rohr

1/3

1/2

1/2

MA2_S3_SIMON-LEHNER_WORKSHOP 1.jpg — ECAL/Doyoung Kim

1/2

1/4