In what began as a whimsical exploration into a wonderland of mathematical curiosities, “Self-Similarity” celebrates the allure of fractals, particularly those that retain the same underlying structure even when viewed at increasing levels of magnification.
Upon reaching deeper into the fractal, however, awe and bewilderment are gradually replaced by the harrowing realization that this neverending geometric hellscape is in fact a psychological prison; a hauntingly infinite numerical abyss where beginnings and ends are one in the same; an inescapable blight on the psyche that teases the illusion of progress but in fact holds captive those who wish to find their bearings within its endless shapes and forms. Can some grand sense of meaning possibly be derived from this nightmare of infinite contexts and hierarchies? Is reality in fact a bleakly quantifiable existence in which everything can be distilled into the same set of rules on varying scales? Do we truly have free will, or are our decisions merely shaped by our environment and the behavioral patterns we’ve developed throughout our lives? What are we aiming towards, both as individuals and as a species, and why do we do what we do?
Through the comforting lens of the majestic penguin, “Self-Similarity” invites viewers to reflect on the source of meaning in their own lives and asks why we choose to move in directions we seemingly decide on our own.
Music by DymaiMusic.
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