The Information Cocoon Mask by Yiqi Sun
Title: The Information Cocoon
Materials: Resin, cotton, agate. W 19cm x H 10 cm. April 17th 2026.
Am I thinking for myself, or thinking through others? This question reflects my anxiety in an increasingly digital and algorithm-driven world. As content stream are highly tailored to our interests and habits (Yang), do we still actively seek out differing perspectives, or are we submerged in a stream of like-minded voices? We are exposed to information at such
speed—have we paused to think critically, or do we simply let the waves of content carry us?
Inspired by Cass Sunstein’s theory of the information cocoon, I began to explore a possible future in which opinions become increasingly polarized, and conflict intensifies as individuals align themselves with larger groups, believing they are fighting for a greater cause. I drew inspiration from the figure of Thousand-Armed Guanyin, traditionally depicted with a thousand eyes to perceive all suffering and a thousand arms to offer aid. In contrast, I reimagine a dystopian version of this figure—driven by self-interest rather than compassion. the eyes symbolize an all-seeing, algorithm-driven society, while the hands represent forces that produce conflict instead of healing. The black-and-white colour reflects informational bias and homogenized perspectives, and the white thread references the “cocoon.”
