SYSTEM OVERLOAD

Michele Zazzara 2025

Web-based installation, continuous loop

This work presents a continuous stream of live headlines drawn from international RSS news feeds. Displayed against a black screen styled as a glitching CRT monitor, the headlines scroll upward in an unbroken flow, occasionally interrupted by abrupt intrusions: short meta-messages addressing the viewer directly.

At regular intervals, the feed halts and the screen is overtaken by a red warning—SYSTEM OVERLOAD—before resetting and resuming its relentless pace. This cyclical rhythm evokes the tension between information flow and systemic collapse, echoing the experience of digital oversaturation in everyday life.

By merging aesthetics of early computing interfaces with the structures of contemporary news distribution, the installation highlights the fragility of human attention within an environment of constant connectivity.

Technical notes

  • Live data feed sourced from: BBC News Europe RSS, NYT RSS, THE ECONOMIST, CNN

  • Duration: continuous, auto-refreshing every minute

  • Display: browser-based projection or monitor installation

SYSTEM OVERLOAD
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