What if we didn’t just see our smartphones as tools, but as spiritual artifacts?
«@cybersira» is a speculative YouTube channel that explores our relationship with smartphones through the fictional everyday religion of Smartphoneism.
It begins with a familiar desire: the longing for digital detox. But if the smartphone has become indispensable, perhaps we don’t need abstinence but new forms of mindful, even sacred, interaction.
This idea shapes the world of «@cybersira»: a fictional space between digital aesthetics, internet culture, and ritual practice. It opens a room of possibility for a more conscious, ceremonial relationship with technology. At the center is Sira, the protagonist who stages her smartphone as a holy object. It’s absurd, serious, and yet strangely close to how we already live. Follow «@cybersira» and ask yourself: are you already part of Smartphoneism?
«Umika's project engages with a phenomenon which concerns us all: our close relationship with our mobile phone. She manages to illustrate our dependency in an entertaining, contemporary way. The project addresses an important topic without moralising. She plays with topics such as kitsch and irony. The five short films are easily accessible and are designed convincingly: A well-rounded project with potential.» – Excerpt supporting statement of the Subject Area Trends & Identity
«The project is innovative because of its original, speculative, and creative approach regarding a global phenomenon that has rapidly and permanently transformed our lives, calling for urgent reflection.» – Umika Srivastava
«I see myself addressing social, technological, and cultural shifts by using design as a tool for reflection and future planning.» – Umika Srivastava
