“world pain” is a multimedia installation by mordechai which consists of a conversation between two chatbots displayed on a CRT television. The visuals were created using ASCII (American Standard Code for Information Interchange), the language and alphabet used for internal and external communication by computers, alongside home videos, found footage, and computer generated simulations of modern warfare. The audio was created using two different generative language models in conversation with one another, run through text-to-speech synthesis. The CRT television the video is displayed on was purchased from a decommissioned prison in Wisconsin. The television’s shell was made transparent to prevent prisoners hiding contraband or tampering with the electronics. The installation is digital, analog, and physical. The installation is reflective of the current state of things.

The installation debuted at WIP (3487 Boul St Laurent) in Montreal, QC, Canada on November 11, 2023. The exhibit was curated by Per/Severe.