07
Avatar Pleasures
During the Corona lockdown 2020 Theresa Binder, Danny Nedkova and I found ourselves situated in different locations and seized the opportunity to explore the transition from physical, fleshly, imperfect bodies to virtual avatars in online space.
Year: 2020
Collaboration: Theresa Binder
Danny Nedkova
In "Avatar Pleasures," one encounters three avatars, which appear to be the embodiments of the alter egos of its respective creator. These virtual beings materialize in an array of appearances, offering a glimpse into the diverse techniques and tools employed to forge their digital existence.
However, woven deliberately into the fabric of these avatars and their movements lie imperfections, both in terms of optics and logic. These intentional flaws serve a dual purpose. On one hand, they serve as poignant reminders of the technological limitations of the era, revealing the inherent errors and constraints that accompanied the early stages of development. On the other hand, they challenge the prevailing pursuit of flawlessness within the digital realm, provoking contemplation on the allure of perfection and the pressure to present an impeccable online persona.
Infinite freedom is an often-heard promise when it comes to digital virtual worlds. This assumption questions the work and works through the bondage of human, physical environments.
We meet the 3 avatars stuck on a video-communication platform or observe them as they enhance their appearance with face filters.
They are nothing more than the extension of our analogue existence, in which the screen surface becomes a mirror.
Much more important than the question of how we live in the virtual world is what it says about the shape of our existence on this planet and how we live in it.