THIS IS A TEST by Jason Hendardy, Gnomic Book

Gnomic Book, 2024
11 × 8.5 in
128 pages
Hardcover with Swiss binding
Holographic foil deboss
First edition of 500 

This is a Test refers to the Emergency Broadcast System messages that aired on American televisions from 1963 to 1997. While these messages were intended to signal national emergencies, they also subtly influenced public perception and instilled a sense of controlled fear. Just as the television screen was a crucial tool to export culture from the West, it also served to maintain order domestically.

Growing up, operating the video camera was a family affair, and Hendardy embraced the role of its operator. This Is A Test is built upon Hi8 stills made during childhood, providing a glimpse into his family’s assimilation into American culture. Building on these are photographs made since 2020, often wrapped in golden light, reflecting on a present-day interpretation of Foucault’s “disciplinary society” and how structures may regulate and control us.

This is a Test addresses contemporary issues like the American dream, immigration, and family, explored through the filter of visual language. The project tells a story of grappling with identity during assimilation and dissecting intergenerational differences. It speaks to the contemporary feelings of the suffocation of impending catastrophe. This is a test.