By Divya Kasturi (Stevenage, UK)
The project involves creating an installation space that would accommodate limited participants/audience allowing them to experience the intended creation. The aim is to create a unique immersive experience whereby the participants would be able to create their own avatar. Depending on their personal choice, one can create more than one avatar based on their different persona (identities). Hence, there could be an instance where one may be surrounded by different versions of themselves. These versions will be created using 3-D holographic technology depending on technological feasibility.
This experience will parallel their simultaneous existence in online (?virtual) and offline (?real) modes. The participants would be able to trigger the formation of their avatars using specific gestures, chiming with creating usernames and passwords using specific alphanumeric characters. Considering that this installation will eventually form part of a live physical dance-theatre performance using Contemporary South Asian Dance movement vocabulary ( to be premiered in Spring 2015 in the UK), we would aim to use various gestures from Bharathanatyam style of dance. This would enable the participants to appreciate the complexity of South Asian dance, also adding the fun element whilst educating them simultaneously.