OMG
The Search for Meaning in the Age of Social Media

How do we connect with one another? How do we communicate? What do we dedicate our time to? What do we believe in?

- Text by Anika Meier -

The sculpture OMG by German artist Joachim Bosse references the image of Christ on the cross, with the cross taking the shape of Facebook’s iconic “f”. Hanging from it is Mark Zuckerberg, founder of one of the world’s most influential social media platforms. By depicting one of the most powerful men of our time in a sacred pose, Bosse questions traditional concepts of faith and authority while provoking discussion about the impact of technology on society. Have tech entrepreneurs and influencers become the new messengers of perceived truth?

The exhibition OMG. The Search for Meaning in the Age of Social Media by Joachim Bosse, curated by Anika Meier, will be on view from April 13 to April 27, 2025, at Herz Jesu Church in Essen-Altenessen. Reverend Ingo Mattauch, who initiated the exhibition and invited Bosse, explains: “OMG encourages us to ask questions and engage in dialogue together: What do we hold on to? What guides us? What gives us stability and meaning?”

The Berlin-based artist will spend several days in Essen engaging with members of the local community, reflecting together on these questions, as universal answers to the challenges of our time are difficult to find alone.

Bosse says: “Facebook, Instagram, TikTok — social media shapes our self-image, our truths, and our moral values. OMG questions whether social networks have become new sanctuaries, or whether they create them. What turns an icon into an icon, a celebrity into a saviour? Where does connection end and dependency begin? And one more thing: Is this quote written by me, or generated by an artificial intelligence capable of imitating me perfectly?”
At a time when we increasingly struggle to distinguish between human and artificial voices online, direct human exchange becomes ever more important — as does the ongoing definition of our personal and collective values.

Joachim Bosse is a German conceptual artist whose work explores life and values in the post-digital age. Since 2020, he has exhibited internationally and occasionally performs for 24 hours in front of hundreds of people, creating spaces where people can discuss their online lives offline. His works are held in private collections, including the Boros Collection in Berlin.