netartdothu (beta)

Internet art and Internet culture in Hungary in the 1990s and 2000s. A research project by Flóra Barkóczi

Endre Koronczi – Kornél Umann: HagyMa Search Engine Project, 1997

HagyMa is a playful and thought-provoking exploration of search engines and human behavior. The creators describe it as “a bit smelly, but cheap and, most importantly, ours,” embracing a humorous vegetable metaphor. The project investigates the act of searching itself, posing questions about how searches can reveal patterns, tendencies, or even personal traits. It highlights the curious human instinct to input one’s own name, hobbies, or interests when encountering a search interface, raising issues of self-representation and digital voyeurism. By observing what others seek, HagyMa reflects on the broader cultural implications of collective search habits, such as the prevalence of searches for “sex” compared to those for “dance schools” or the frequency of “onions” versus “pears.” The work confronts the opacity of search engine data, noting that internal documents generated by search engines are typically inaccessible, hinting at concerns over privacy, ownership, and the evolving legal landscape of the internet. Visually and conceptually, HagyMa deliberately mirrors yet diverges from similar platforms like Heuréka, ensuring its distinct identity while prompting viewers to consider the ways in which search engines both mirror and shape human curiosity.