Origin (2006) is a persistant, programmed object that ‘reads’ The Origin of Species through Natural Selection by Charles Darwin, line by line. It is a deliberately simple, sober and flat textual element rooted within the abundantly visual environment, Second Life.
Within this virtual space, one invents an alter-ego, an avatar that is consciously designed, self-generated or at least chosen by selecting different attributes and accessories. In this context, Darwin’s first-person narrative creates a curious space which sheds an oblique light on the genesis of this ‘new world’.
In the midst of this virtual free-for-all, his words have the effect of making strange, giving rise to an unexpected understanding of the indigenous flora and fauna of Sudo Island, while at the same time pointing in the direction of more social, economic or algorithmic models underlying the experience, variants of his evolutionary thought.
To see Origin in SecondLife, you need to create a free account and download the application. Once installed, Origin is visible in 3 locations - one, two, three
Description of the exhibition and more photos of Origin in the section Virtual Works.
Exhibitions
- Sudo Island, Aqua Art Miami, 2006
- Pixel Dolls, Meat Space and Everything All At Once, Bumbershoot Arts Festival, Seattle, 2006
