richmondsmell.com (2024)

HTML/CSS/JS, Silkscreen print, Plastic Bags, Found objects

Richmondsmell.com is a multimedia web and print-based project made in Herdimas Anggara's Fall 2024 PLATFORM SABOTAGE Class. Tasked with generating a satirical conspiracy theory, similar to the Birds Aren't Real campaign, this multimedia project uses outrageous rhetoric, falsified online resources, and even a form for users to submit 'odor reports' to create an immersive online world around a mysterious phenomenon in the city of Richmond, VA.

Flyers with mysterious contents relating to the described 'odor' were posted around campus, causing one online user to post images of the mysterious postings on the reddit page for Richmond, VA. Ever since, Richmond residents report various instances of odors floating around the city, becoming an inside joke for many residents online.

Initially pinning the source of this odor on the 'PhlegmMorrisUS' cigarette production facility just south of the city, submissions from local residents of various odors have stretched the satirical timeline of this project to new lengths. In a world of misinformation and conspiracies flying around the internet at unimaginable speeds, this project seeks to subvert these challenges by using the language of outrageousness and deception to find a sense of humor and bonding in the midst of all the chaos.

Visit ↗ richmondsmell.com