Fifteenth International Conference on Technology, Knowledge & Society

Abstract

Since the internet, there is online presence and telepresence. With the dazzling technological advancements of online and augmented reality, how will humanity’s future be impacted by our increasing dependence on remote presence? The impetus of my research grew from the fact that I was drawn to how activists are using the internet to recruit and arrange people for meetings and protests enabling some of the most influential social moments of today- Arab Spring, Occupy Wall Street, Women’s March, etc. What is the present tense of space? What does it mean to be human? What is human consciousness? How does online space perform as a social platform engage with an ever-changing pluralistic environment? We are depending on institutionalized forms of recognition, infrastructure that shapes our place and identity in the world. How do we “perform” and “present” gender, race, cultural background, and identity as a online and hyper-reality? Can VR and AR produce work that represents a variety of cultures, genders, and ethnicities, at the same time perpetuates stereotypes and human categorization that lead to a greater separation and misunderstanding? The topic brought forward here is an on-site study of off-site reality. My study combines scholarly research intended for publication with the making and curating of VR/AR artworks.This research moves forward current scholarly debates around the future roles of VR/AR. It provides an expanded awareness of creative space and possibility of creating actions and VR/AR artworks that respond to and are fueled by political engagement and activist movements of today.