Treachery of Images
A Tour on Truth, Reality, and AI
In an era dominated by conversations about misinformation and disinformation, the central question remains: What is truth? Truth has become plural, elusive, and at times inaccessible. The way we think about and engage with information has shifted dramatically, with artificial intelligence supercharging these changes. AI has blurred the lines between what is real and what is true, forcing us to interrogate whether there is a difference to begin with.
Art and political information alike have become impressionistic—less about logic and more about evoking emotion, challenging us to navigate a world of competing realities. Misinformation is not new; it stretches back to the Roman Empire. Yet, AI adds a fresh layer of complexity. Whether it’s the uncanny valley unsettling our perceptions or the reality that machines now have a voice in shaping society, we are grappling with something fundamentally new.
As Australia heads toward its next election, these questions about truth, information, and reality are more urgent than ever.
This is a conversation about the nature of truth, the information we receive, and how 21st-century technologies are reshaping our understanding of both.
This tour is not a political campaign, but rather an effort to bring ideas beyond the big cities and into regional towns and communities ahead of a consequential election. By engaging with people across Australia, we aim to spark conversations about truth and reality in the age of AI, embodying the spirit of public humanities.
Previous versions of this tour also featured Scotty So, a Melbourne-based artist. Cory and Scotty participated in tour stops in:
Shepparton, VIC
Wagga Wagga, NSW
Warrnambool, VIC
Cory currently has solo tour dates coming in VIC, SA, and NSW through the remainder of 2025. Any community organizations interested in hosting a tour stop, please reach out to cory@southandwest.org