My current artistic practice delves into the intersection of antiquated GIF animation technology and the aesthetics of the early 21st century. I explore the intricate connections between nostalgia, existential dread, and optimism. The heart of my creative process involves manipulating digital media into GIFs, creating pieces that are aesthetically distinctive and conceptually provocative. The strategic use of the endless loop feature allows viewers to engage with the work repeatedly, unveiling new details with each viewing and encouraging deeper contemplation. Inspired by the vibrant yet low-quality aesthetics of the Y2K era and the experimental GIF art style of the early 2000s, this work pays homage to a digital age marked by both creativity and limitations.The supposed turn-of-the-century bug that would bring our infrastructure to a terrifying halt – had failed to materialize and for a brief moment there was nothing but glittering utopian futurism and faith in a new age of boundless possibility.1 The process itself involves navigating the constraints of Photoshop to discover the creative potential for expression within those boundaries, especially the Lossy setting. Photoshop has a “Lossy” setting in its GIF export dialog. Using lossy is like getting the color palette picker drunk.2 An intentional choice that dictates the degree of data loss in the color palette. This setting becomes a transformative tool, enhancing the allure of specific colors, such as pinks, blues, and retro purples. The colors undergo a visual metamorphosis as rows and columns of similarly colored pixels are compressed into a single, unpredictable hue during export. This unpredictability, driven by the lossy setting, demands a heightened literalness in the work. Details are sacrificed, but the larger concepts are magnified. The resulting series of GIFs explore the pressures of existence, the weight it bears, and the inevitable consequence of existence—death. Yet, intertwined with this exploration is an optimistic outlook, a recognition that life extends beyond the phase of suffering. Each GIF poses a contemplative question, emphasizing the open-ended nature of interpretation. The endless looping of these GIFs mirrors the perpetual cycle of existence, initially unpredictable but gradually settling into a relaxing and calculated rhythm. This juxtaposition of unpredictability and order serves as a poignant reflection of the contrasting nature of existence.