Imagine waking up in a world where there’s nothing on the news. Nothing in the newspapers. Silence on Twitter. That’s the concept explored by Joseph Ernst in the striking ‘Nothing in the News’ series. The artist and creative director uses well-known, international publications to drive the point home. From The Times to The New York Times and from Le Monde to Die Zeit.
But make no mistake, the project doesn’t minimize the importance of the news or investigative journalism. On the contrary, these blank newspapers come with a crucial footnote. Truth and truthful reporting have weight, especially in our times. The series doesn’t question that. Instead, it challenges viewers to move his or her gaze from the outside and channel it within. In order to find meaning in one’s world, one should learn to enjoy the silence first. Bombarded by a constant flow of information over the 24-hour news cycle, we often forget to not only take a moment, but also to breathe. Think. Be. The most successful conceptual works often use simplicity and clarity to make a point. ‘Nothing in the News’ proves this perfectly. If you want to buy one of these blank newspapers, maybe even just as a reminder, you can find them here. Photographs© Joseph Ernst.