The Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden will present the Washington, D.C., debut of “In Search of the Truth (The Truth Booth),” a long-term global project by CAUSE COLLECTIVE artists Ryan Alexiev, Jim Ricks, Hank Willis Thomas, Jorge Sanchez and Will Sylvester. Situated on the museum’s outdoor plaza overlooking the National Mall, the participatory installation will be open daily, weather permitting, June 8–23. “The Truth Booth” will be presented in conjunction with “Manifesto: Art x Agency,” the Hirshhorn’s exhibition exploring the art historical impact of artist manifestos from the 20th century to present day, June 15–Jan. 5, 2020.
“We are proud to host the Washington debut of this participatory installation, which explores humanity and celebrates diversity,” said Hirshhorn Director Melissa Chiu. “The Hirshhorn is dedicated to amplifying the voices of artists whose works address contemporary issues, and ‘The Truth Booth’ will allow visitors to the National Mall to join in this self-expression as part of this global art project.”
The In Search of the Truth installation is composed of a 16-foot-tall tent shaped like a speech bubble where visitors are invited to enter and leave a video message in response to the statement, “The truth is…” The recorded confessional-style videos are edited into two-minute-long clips and added to the project’s website, insearchofthetruth.net, which serves as a public archive of these video artworks. With the word “TRUTH” prominently printed on its side, “The Truth Booth” will serve as a visible, thought-provoking beacon on the National Mall, while simultaneously providing a meditative, intimate space where people can sincerely share their thoughts.
Since 2011, “The Truth Booth” has toured the world with the mission of building a diverse portrait of humanity by collecting perspectives, confessions and thoughts on “the truth” from across the globe. Conceived of by Alexiev, Ricks and Thomas and later joined by Sanchez and Sylvester, the project was initiated by the CAUSE COLLECTIVE, a team of artists, designers and ethnographers who create innovative art in the public realm, exploring and enlivening public spaces by creating dynamic conversations between issues, sites and the public audience.
