HYPERREAALIYAH was founded in 2014 through a process that involved the writings of Jean Baudrillard, one (1) BTC worth of acid in the day’s exchange rate, and a handful of people. Since then, HYPERREAALIYAH has existed as a simulation of an artist, born again for each new project through the collaborators of that project. Sometimes for clarity HYPERREAALIYAH is referred to as a collective, yet it has no formal membership and only becomes realised through projects for which a new team is always formed. Both professional artists and non-artists have participated in the production of works of HYPERREAALIYAH.
Since its inception, HYPERREAALIYAH has considered everything in existence as material to be moulded into new forms. This creative process has embodied a commentary on the structure of mediated reality as a surface which can be used to create new meaning although it is sometimes controlled by copyrights and trademarks. HYPERREAALIYAH’s argument has been that if the meaning of a work that uses existing material is new or, say, original, the material loses its meaning and gains a new one.
The name HYPERREAALIYAH consists of two parts; (1) hyperreal which translates to more real than real. This is a category often experienced in a mediated world where the representation becomes experienced as more real than the original. For example, a news story about a hurricane on the other side of the globe is more real to its reader than the hurricane itself; and (2) aaliyah which is a judaic concept meaning a return to the holy land. Thus, HYPERREAALIYAH is a more real than real return to the holy lands of, in this case, meaning.
The premise for HYPERREAALIYAH, the reason for its existence is the argument that as hyperreality has become an everyday phenomenon, we are all in diaspora from meaning. HYPERREAALIYAH is always looking for new ways to return to meaning, yet never quite seems to get there.
Throughout the past years, HYPERREAALIYAH has produced multiple different projects ranging from video works to performances and artivistic interventions in public, semi-public and private spaces both online and offline. HYPERREAALIYAH's works have been screened, performed or featured in Aalto University, Amos Rex, Institute of Contemporary Art London, Kaiku, Oksasenkatu 11, POLARIZED! festival, Pixelache, Socialinis Centras Emma, Visio festival and XI20, among others.
HYPERREAALIYAH has researched and produced works about memes and memetics in particular and works critiquing neoliberal ideology and fascistic societal movements in general.
5/11/2020 |
Today, Pixelache and HYPERREAALIYAH' present Looking backwards >|< looking forwards. This event revolves around the history of the Pixelache and VJ culture. We begin with a mini memory hackathon at 13-16 on IRC and continue with the main streaming event at 18-20 with Vishnu Vardhani Rajan from Pixelache and Kari Yli-Annala. This event is organized by Antti Ahonen from Pixelache and Jenna Jauhiainen from HYPERREAALIAYH. |
15/6/2020 |
HYPERREAALIYAH's work related to choreographies of toomuchness is now featured in Institute of Contemporary Art London's ICA Daily Platform, curated by Ofri Cnaani. Read more and see our work here. |
20/12/2019 |
Join us today at Myymälä2 as Jenna takes the stage to talk about memes with Timo Tuhkanen, Bassam El Baroni, Egle Oddo, Gabriele de Seta, James Lorien MacDonald, Javiera Marchant Aedo, Jussi Kari, Mike Watson and Ramiro Camelo. More about the event here. |
24/11/2019 |
MEMExhibition was an absolute success, with hundreds of visitors to the unique MEMExperience facilitated by Jenna. Read more about the exhibition from their website which also includes some articles written about the exhibition in both Finnish and in Swedish. |
1/11/2019 |
From today until the 24th, MEMExhibition will consume the artist run Oksasenkatu 11 gallery. Welcome, everyone! |
28/10/2019 |
Good morning everyone and hey, did you know today is the day? Over Realism: Passing Information, Radically! takes over Bio Rex from 3PM to 7PM. There will be a livelink on Amos Rex's FB page for you who can't make it here physically. The event is free of charge and you can come and go as you like. Welcome. Jenna will be taking you through Tutorial: Military Memetics, a presentation donwloaded online. This will be the perfect cathartic Monday treat for anyone suffering from the Impostor Syndrome, they promise. Also, HYPERREAALIYAH's latest video work From Edgelords to Ultimate Warlord: Our Emergence into Syntelligence will be premiered during this memetically curated event, where each participant curates the next. Special thanks to Ofri Cnaani for making this happen as a part of Schoooooool With Many Holes. |
5/8/2019 |
HYPERREAALIYAH is traveling to Kaunas for Matters. Platform for Industrial Culture this week. On Friday we'll embrace ourselves as battlespaces at Socialinis Centras Emma and on Saturday EVERYTHING IS OK AND REAL-ISH: HYPER WAR AND MEANING PRODUCTION, a learning and sharing session, premieres at Kauno menininkų namai / Kaunas Artists' House. |
3/3/2019 |
THIN KING is playing an early morning set of intense internet shit for the third MYÖS Solarium party. They sent special thanks to HYPERREAALIYAH and Pultset for all their past endeavors. |
3/3/2019 |
Jenna was commissioned a video work by Ville Laaksonen for a series of works by Finnish video artists. They created one in collaboration with HYPERREAALIYAH. Read more about the series here. |
6/12/2018 |
Today Finland turned 101. HYPERREAALIYAH has been here, too, all day from Aaliyah around the breakfast table to the hyperreality unraveling from multiple livestreams. This is my least favorite spectacle, this strange one allowed to take place by the city and the police: neo-nazis on the streets during our independence day. We also processed some material from a sweet, sad demo last Summer, where we played the death march 'Narvan marssi' for the nazis with Rosa and Toivo. It was painful and stupid, like life often is. I hope you can sense the powerlessness as that's how I feel. Watch the piece Finland 101 here. |
14/11/2018 |
HYPERREAALIYAH is in full support of Valomerkki launched today. |
27/10/2018 |
We performed a VJ set for Schoolboi Cute and Aprox. during RAJA organised by Kunnon Setit. |
17/7/2018 |
The Trumps were leaving the centre of Helsinki to board Air Force 2 after Dolan's date with Putin, and we were there, on the steps of the parliament building, with a ten meter sign saying YOU FUCK UP, WE DIE. You can see a little video documentation about it here. Yes, Melania waved. |
5/5/2018 |
On this cinque de mayo, we organized a metaphorical strike in Kaiku’s Peräkammari with the purpose of processing the conditions in which we currently organize parties and play music there. The production of this night meant delving into money, working rights and the tricky question of how to create a safer space. Read more about our strike and see the documentation video here. |
28/3/2018 |
Jenna has been working for months to write this documentary fiction piece about HYPERREAALIYAH. Thank you EDIT magazine for support. |
21/3/2018 |
Cambridge Analytica has been on the news again this week. Exactly a year ago Jenna introduced this enemy and military memetics, too, to a small audience at the DANK CONTEMPORANEITIES symposium at the Aalto University. Now, finally, the KNOW YOUR ENEMY: MILITARY MEMETICS AND CAMBRIDGE ANALYTICA video is online. This video was shown while Jenna gave a lecture about the topic, in good and proper karaoke style. |
21/7/2017 |
As a part of Planet Suvilahti - Linnunrata 2017 and complementing the Universally Mad LoveTeaParty in Wonderland, HYPERREAALIYAH presents a new video work titled I AM THE END. The hypotheses we’ve attempted to visualize with this work is that there is a doppelgänger in each of us, or at least the capacity to be someone else, to lose ourselves, to go crazy. Methodologically we’ve dwelled into hypnotic, chaotic and psychedelic imagery, complemented with more conceptual, dualistic bits and pieces of great acting. As often is with our video works, I AM THE END is not suitable for sensitive audiences. |
21/7/2017 |
We've done a massive video work for the bankrupt VISIO FESTIVAL 2017 which goes on for today and tomorrow - a two hours+ video work meant to PLURalize your soul. We're also testing a new software which makes it possible to shoot multiple videos through one projector. |
3/7/2017 |
We've done it again, meaning, trolling IRL. There is a lot to write about this and I will surely get back to this News section at some point to tell you everything about this in English, too, but now, do enjoy this video documentation and if you're fluent in Finnish, read the description here on Youtube. Lasciatemi trollare! |
20/6/2017 |
HYPERREAAALIAYH meets Aprox. tonight at Mascot with a video work titled, THE DOGS JUST WANNA HAVE FUN. Our dream has been to work with the Phil Collins of Kallio for so long, and now, finally, it has become reality. |
26/4/2017 |
We're returning to Kaiku Club's Peräkammari on 5th of May, presenting the video work XXX NIHILO together with THRDEYEVSN. This will be a narrative exposure of a very particular vision of reality realized in the past couple of months. Surf here for the FB event. |
23/3/2017 |
Two days ago Jenna presented a performative presentation at the Aalto University's DANK CONTEMPORANEITIES symposeium with the headline KNOW YOUR ENEMY: MILITARY MEMETICS AND CAMBRIDGE ANALYTICA. This is something greatly inspirational for the whole collective at the moment, particularly as it provides a hypothesis that surpasses some of our wildest dreams. You can view a video of the presentation here. |
26/12/2016 |
Like promised way back in September, the FESTRUCTION XDDDDDD mixtape made together with PULTSET for the OPEN SPACE DAYS in St. Pölten, Austria, is finally online. Thanks to our friends in Kaunas for pushing us to put this online, and may the Socialinis Centras Emma live long and prosper! |
7/12/2016 |
Yesterday we (sort of) celebrated the independence day of Finland. Many demonstrations were held in Helsinki. The most problematic of them was a march organized by the Nordic Resistance Movement, a Swedish political party and a Neo-Nazi organization. In addition to Finnish members of the group, there were also Swedish Nazis who came to participate on the march. We decided to disturb their militaristic march over the Pitkäsilta bridge by walking next to them with a speaker blasting 'Den glider in', the victory song which the Swedes made in 1995 in anticipation of winning Finland in the finals of the Ice Hockey World Championship. Contrary to the glib expectations of the Swedes, 1995 became the first time Finland won the Championship and thus we took their song to celebrate our victory. MM95, as it is referred to in Finland, is an emotional soft spot of nationalistic pride for many Finns. By playing the song and singing it loud to the marching Nazis, we hoped to stir contradictory emotions in the Finns and Swedes who participated while implying that we have already won Sweden in the Blackberry Winter War of 1995. We have some audiovisual documentation of this action which might be released later. |
1/12/2016 |
Max and Jenna trolled the Suomi Ensin! (Finland First!) demonstration against the Guggenheim Helsinki project. A curious object was created: a sign that read Нет! ("NO!" in Russian). The sign was totally kosher in the demonstration against Guggenheim Helsinki held on the Senate Square, but on the Market Square where the Finland First! group held its demonstration, it became an object non grata. The reason for this is the suspicion about Russian involvement in right wing activities in Finland. |
28/11/2016 |
Two nights ago, OPTIC ITALO party was held in a secret location in Helsinki. We were proud to celebrate the occasion by presenting a new video work, titled HYPERTROPIC. It is composed of associations we had of tropical matters, and as such it reveals the depths of our individual prejudices. |
1/10/2016 |
A week ago, we took part in the Peli Poikki! demonstration against racism which attracted 15 000 participants to the center of Helsinki. We also went to various counterdemonstrations, including the Rajat Kiinni! (Close the Borders!) demonstration held in Narinkkatori. To our surprise, the openly racist group was sporting Pepe The Frog flag. We immediately felt the need to take Pepe back from the racists and show him a better party. Very quickly we managed to give the impression of being 'rajakki' ourselves, and got Susanna Kaukinen to give the flag to us. Photographic documentation of the demonstration and this spontaneous Free Pepe! action can be seen here . |
11/9/2016 |
The Summer was chill for HYPERREAALIYAH. Jenna was invited to participate in Open Space Days in Sankt Pölten of Austria in mid-August. A new work was made - a mixtape and a video to go along with a dance performance (you know, rave). As soon as she's able to finish the last version of it, it will find its way online. |
13/5/2016 |
We are proud to announce a collaboration with THE CHAMBER in hosting a club in Peräkammari during the night when JULIANA HUXTABLE spins in the main room of Kaiku. Our VJ set will be of atmospheric proportions. |
8/5/2016 |
Today HYPERREAALIYAH participated in Paskan taiteen festarit with three of the worst videos and a VJ set. The festival was a success in its own category. |
1/5/2016 |
With utmost respect for the number one Finnish holiday Vappu, we made a mixtape called Vappu???? |
5/4/2016 |
HYPERREAALIYAH and Kama Jonhson collaborated on a mixpete titled SEXY SYSTEM SHOCK, which is to be looped today at the vernissage of Gabrielė Gervickaite's exhibition Side Variantion of The Norm at Galerija MENO NIŠA in Vilnius. |
27/2/2016 |
The Finnish Cultural Foundation has awarded Jenna with a working grant to continue zer work on Suomen Sisu's identity politics. Congrats! |
12/12/2015 |
The screening of SUOLEN SISUN HISTORIIKKI in POLARIZED! film festival's Soppaa & Suhinaa club was a success, as testified by this in depth article published on the web page of University of Lapland. |
18/11/2015 |
SUOLEN SISUN HISTORIIKKI will be screened during POLARIZED! film festival's Soppaa & Suhinaa club on Friday the 20th in Rovaniemi, Finland. Unfortunately no-one from HYPERREAALIYAH is able to be present at the screening. |
27/10/2015 |
We are proud to announce that the WEIRD HISTORY OF FINNISH YOUTUBE ART 2005-2015 will be screened on 5th of November, 2015, at XI20 in Vilnius. Jenna will be there to serve sparkling wine. |
8/10/2015 |
The series SYMPOLITICS will be shown in a screening in The Finnish Museum of Photography on 26th of October, 2015, where it will also be reviewed by Finnish and international specialists. |
22/9/2015 |
The series SYMPOLITICS was chosen as a finalist to the 2015 EI Award and will be shown to reviewers in Braga during Encontros da Imagem. |
19/9/2015 |
HYPERREAALIYAH has trolled the Finnish SS, Suomen Sisu by intercepting a commission for a private video-history of the organization and turning it into a public charade. The video can be viewed here. |
19/8/2015 |
FAA, short for Finnish Art Agency, has included the screening of the WEIRD HISTORY OF FINNISH YOUTUBE ART 2005-2015 for its list of recommendations for the Helsinki Night of the Arts. |
18/8/2015 |
Two days from now, HYPERREAALIYAH and Pultset will be presenting the WEIRD HISTORY OF FINNISH YOUTUBE ART in Kalleria during the Helsinki Night of the Arts. The video starts playing at noon and runs continuously until 10PM. |
20/7/2015 |
Artworks by HYPERREAALIYAH will be on display in the xhibition HYPERREAALIYAH + HANNA HYY = NOW HERE during 1.8.-28.8.2015 in Kalleria, Helsinki. |
All contact to HYPERREAALIYAH goes via Jenna Jauhiainen.
TEL +358 40 836 11 88
EMAIL jenna@hyperreaaliyah.com