Research Map

Presented in a dedicated self-study room within the exhibition Tactics and Mythologies: Andrea Orejarena & Caleb Stein at the Temporary House of Photography, Deichtorhallen Hamburg, the research map »Cultural Techniques of Simulation and Visual Deception«—developed on invitation of curator Nadine Isabelle Heinrich—traces historical and contemporary techniques of simulation in and through photography, including strategies of camouflage, deception, and concealment.

Drawing on references by Orejarena and Stein—such as The Truman Show, military–Hollywood imaginaries, aerial surveillance, and photographic practices—the mapping outlines how photographic images have been used to construct, manipulate, and obscure realities, shaping evolving forms of visual misinformation and perception.

It further establishes connections to Hamburg’s own historical contexts, including its role in chemical and industrial developments associated with the production of Agent Orange. In doing so, the project highlights how local histories intersect with global narratives of simulation, manipulation, and control.