Me, myself and (A)I
2024
In collaboration with:
Bernadette Maria Leitner
Flavia Mazzanti
Manuel Bonell
Music: Julia Just
Research Project funded by Land Salzburg Kunst und Kultur
This research project delves into the boundless digital landscape of self-expression and identity representation, ranging from simple Instagram filters to the creation of entirely fictional personas. It places a special emphasis on empowering marginalized groups, particularly individuals who do not entirely identify with their biological bodies, to authentically express themselves. Through the use of tracking suits, participants can merge their Real Self with their Digital Self, essentially crafting a new “body” that can be explored within the digital realm. The avatars are personalized to mirror desired identities and emotions, often leveraging artificial intelligence tools for this purpose.
The project actively involves performers, with a focus on individuals who identify as transgender, non-binary, or gender-fluid. These performers engage in the exploration of their new digital personas, translating their movements and emotions into fluid and transformative avatars. In the digital space, these avatars interact, giving rise to profound questions about the fluidity of identity, emotion, and the implications of digital self-discovery on our tangible reality. Ultimately, the project’s culmination will be a video work that meticulously documents the entire creative process.
In essence, this research project serves as a bridge between the tangible and the digital, offering a platform for individuals to authentically represent themselves in the digital world and provoking thoughtful contemplation about the intersections of identity and technology.