Google Anthems (2018)
In this series, the national anthems of different countries are translated into English using Google Translate and sang by non-professional performers from those countries. The translation renders visible the often nationalistic content of the anthems, while also emphasizing the idea that English is the global lingua franca. Additionally, the greater or lesser degree of precision in certain translations also maps out linguistically the supposed “importance” of a nation according to Google’s meter.
Exhibition view at Summer Show 2022, MATA (Modena, IT).