In Search of the Truth
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In Search of the Truth is an international, interactive public art project of a touring, inflatable recording booth called 'The Truth Booth'.[1][2][3] The Booth is a 16-foot-tall by 23-foot-wide speech bubble that permits visitors to record videos of themselves completing the sentence, "The truth is...".[4][5][6] It was established in 2011 as a collaboration between Ryan Alexiev, Hank Willis Thomas and Jim Ricks. [7][8][9]
Jim Ricks
Hank Willis Thomas
| In Search of the Truth | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Location | Worldwide |
| Owner | The Cause Collective |
| Founder | Ryan Alexiev Jim Ricks Hank Willis Thomas |
| Established | 2011 |
| Status | Active |
| Website | insearchofthetruth |
![](#/media/File:"In_Search_of_the_Truth"_in_Selma,_AL.png)
History
Between fake news and fact checking, the truth has never been more contested, which makes this a very timely project.
The project was started in 2011 by artists Ryan Alexiev, Hank Willis Thomas and Jim Ricks.[11] Will Sylvester and, now deceased LGBTQ organizer, Jorge Sanchez had joined the project more recently.[12][13] All are members of the artist collective Cause Collective. In 2011, the project was first shown at the Galway International Arts Festival in Ireland.[14][15] It debuted in the US during the LOOK3 Festival of the Photograph in Charlottesville, VA in June 2012.
The New York Times writes: "The "Truth Booth"... in the shape of a cartoon word bubble with "TRUTH" in bold letters on its side, serves as a video confessional. Visitors are asked to sit inside and finish the politically and metaphysically loaded sentence that begins, "The truth is ..."".[16]
The project toured Afghanistan in 2013 in a partnership with Free Press Unlimited, a media development organization based in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, and 1TV (Afghan TV channel).[17] In 2016, it launched a 50-state tour of the United States before the 2016 United States presidential election.[18]
It has also appeared in South Africa, Australia, and in 2018 toured Mexico from Chiapas to Juarez visiting 20 locations under the name: En Busca de la Verdad.[19][8][20] The 'Booth', the Mexican videos, and a documentary about the 2018 tour are part of the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden's exhibition Manifesto: Art x Agency showing 2019 – 20.[21][22] In Search of the Truth was exhibited as part of the Melbourne Fringe Festival in September of 2019[23][24] and in October of 2019 the project came to St. Louis and visited Ferguson.[25]