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Augmented Diasporic Identities in the Digital Landscape
Through uprooting and the pressures of , I learned to forget where I came from and who I was. I became , , .
assimilation
rootless
fragmented
split
-Dr. Leny Mendoza Strobel
The concept of identity is intricately linked to the physical location where a person’s body resides . The culture and the environment that surrounds us is fundamental to our upbringing and development of
When a person is removed from their homeland, , whether voluntarily or forcibly, they become uprooted . This displacement may result from a lack of prospect for a stable future in their home country or as a means of fleeing from dangers. In this transition , individuals may come to carry components of their cultural identity with them. Many first-generation immigrants perceive assimilation as essential for their survival while conforming to the customs of their new ‘home’ . This process may involve learning a new language, adapting to a new climate, or developing resiliency in a challenging work environment . The advancement of technology, particularly social networking sites, has facilitated communication among members of the diaspora who seek to remain connected with their loved ones and homeland (Aghapouri, 174). Given the ubiquity of digital media, displaced individuals may now connect with their former home , while simultaneously assimilating into their new environment .
My work investigates this yearning for interpersonal connection in a progressively mediated world , where our lifestyle is affected by the media that surrounds us. Amidst a diasporic landscape , characterized by global capitalism and distant spiritualism , my work functions to detail the complexity of the ‘ self ’ in an ever-shifting world. This aims to position viewers within the perspective of the displaced individuals , and to engender empathy with the diasporic community’s sense of displacement . My practice involves the utilization of diverse media formats, including video , performance , projections , and installations , with the goal of conveying abstract concepts that correspond to the dynamic nature of the place. In particular, my use of digital media seeks to explore strategies for engaging with ephemeral beings and entities that exist beyond the physical realm , and that can be sensed or perceived in various ways.
identity
identity
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surrounds
self-identity.
homeland
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displacement
home
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transition
carry
cultural identity
assimilation
survival
'home'
process
resiliency
environment
advancement
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loved ones
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ubiquity
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connect
home
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new environment
yearning
connection
mediated world
media
diasporic landscape
distant spiritualism
self
displaced individuals
empathy
diasporic community's
displacement
video
performance
projections
installations
abstract concepts
dynamic nature
digital media
ephemeral beings
entities
physical realm
My personal experience of immigrating to a foreign country has been surreal. Choosing which possessions to bring and leave behind was emotionally taxing, prompting me to consider the components of my identity that I wanted to keep. However over time, I have come to understand that an individual’s identity is not just a static construct but a dynamic product of lived experiences. In her book When Home Won’t Let You Stay: Migration through Contemporary Art, Ruth Erickson discusses how the personal stories of migrants illustrate the process of moving between homes, forging connections, and reimagining one’s sense of self (24).
Fig. 1. Santos, Marigold, Re-grounding, 2011, Contemporary Calgary, Calgary, Alberta.
This theme is also explored in Marigold Santos’ Re-grounding (Fig. 1), where a static, fragmented figure is depicted as a source of nourishment and a catalyst for growth, revealing the dual nature of identity. Despite the strikingly fragmented appearance of the figure, the piece exudes a solemn atmosphere, one that suggests an acceptance of the figure’s fate as a disfigured corpse. Through this work, Santos effectively communicates the notion of identity as a multifaceted construct, encouraging viewers to embrace their own complexity as a means of empowerment and resilience.
Fig. 2. Santangelo, Nicole Anne. As Long As I Have My Roots. 11 Oct. 2023. Courtesy of the artist.
My work, As Long As I Have My Roots (Fig. 2), exemplifies the concept of fragmented identity by depicting the separation of a Snake Plant pup from its mother and replanting it in a new pot to allow for greater growth. This propagation process serves as a metaphor for the migration experience; both involve the act of uprooting and ripping off oneself from their home.
Despite this, the roots of the plant still retain some of the soil from which they were uprooted, highlighting the enduring connection to one’s place of origin. The work ponders the advantages of migration, as well as the pain and effort that comes with the migration process.
The propagation procedure served as a grounding experience , one that I chose to document in video form , creating an archive of a specific moment and experience . While the video lacks physicality , it serves to transport the viewer to a mental space that might immerse them in thoughts of contemplation about the nature of migration and the significance of our roots . Despite its intangibility , the video format effectively conveys the essence of the migratory experience. While archives can serve as evidence of a particular experience , process , or event , it is important to note that they do not capture the entirety of the experience . Rather, archives provide a
on the event or process captured by the device, offering a glimpse into a particular moment in time .
It is therefore essential to approach archives with a critical eye , recognizing their limitations as well as their potential as a tool for understanding and interpreting the past .
procedure
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The power of archives in conveying and interpreting personal experience is further exemplified in the installation The Road Trip (Fig. 3) by Cardiff and Miller, which incorporates landscape photographs taken by Miller’s grandfather, a man whom he never met. The images depict the locations where Miller’s grandfather traveled, creating a visual record of his experiences. The installation utilizes a computer-controlled slide projector and an audio recording of the two artists discussing the order and significance of the slides.
Through this process, the artists attempt to unravel the mystery behind the images and piece together a narrative of Miller’s grandfather’s journey. According to Alexandrina Buchanan, the installation is a performance that portrays the unfolding of archival relationships over time, rather than over space. It was designed to be experienced rather than described, making it challenging to translate the feel of the piece into words (73).
Fig. 3. Cardiff, Janet & Bures Miller, George. The Road Trip. 2004. fraenkelgallery.com,
https://fraenkelgallery.com/exhibitions/janet-cardiff-george-bures-miller-poetry-machine-works
After reading about Cardiff and Miller’s installation, I was motivated to create Sambahin Ang Ngalan Mo (Praise Your Name)(Fig. 4) as a means of exploring the archival concerns raised by the artwork. My work sought to examine the intersection of colonialism and
within the context of religion , highlighting the ways in which the latter is still rooted in our culture despite the historical and ongoing impact of colonialism (Macdonald 79). Sambahin Ang Ngalan Mo also reveals the dialectical interplay of absence and presence . Cardiff and Miller’s physical absence in the installation is compensated by the sonic presence of their voices, which is reminiscent of how Miller’s grandfather’s photographs bear witness to his presence in the locations captured during
create
exploring
examine
colonialism
Filipino Indigenous heritage
religion
still rooted
ongoing impact
reveals
presence
physical absence
sonic presence
bear witness
presence
a different period
Fig. 4. Santangelo, Nicole Anne. Sambahin Ang Ngalan Mo. 14 Feb. 2023. Courtesy of the artist.
Sambahin Ang Ngalan Mo is an installation that utilizes a projector as a vehicle for representing the past. The image projected onto the Christian religious statue, Santo Niño features a wooden ancestral spiritual figure from Indigenous Philippine folk religions known as an Anito. The statue is situated on a small altar before a series of chairs intended for the contemplation of these coexisting entities. The physical presence of the Santo Niño symbolizes the pervasiveness of Christianity within Indigenous Philippine practices that continue to linger even in the diaspora due to the rise of the internet.
While both figures are present in the installation, their modes of presence and visibility are distinct. The projected image of the Anito is illuminated and foregrounded by the projector, while the physical presence of the Santo Niño is visually dominant and obscures the Anito image. Nonetheless, the viewers can still discern the presence of the Anito, despite the obscured and subordinated status of its image. In this sense, the two figures exist in the same reality, albeit in different realms.
The notion of different realms extends beyond physical and spiritual spheres, and includes the digital realm comprising the internet, video games, and virtual reality. This realm is distinct from physical presence and can offer a means for individuals to assert their existence by preserving their digital identity. John Wood stated in his book The Virtual Embodied: presence/practice/technology:
Lanier’s anthropocentric vision of a kind of ‘virtual playground’ offered plausible, yet sometimes ‘physically’ impossible scenarios that defy the forces that normally harm us in what we refer to as the ‘real’ world. As such it asserts rhetoric of technologically delivered freedom above ‘natural’ constraints such as gravity or hunger. (10)
The reliance on digital evidence as a means of validating one’s existence in the contemporary era reflects the ways in which we negotiate our sense of self in relation to the ever-evolving digital landscape. This situation is showcased in the South Korean documentary in which VIVE studios employed virtual reality technology to reunite a mother with her deceased daughter.
Jang Ji-sung, a mother who lost her daughter to cancer in 2016, was given the opportunity to virtually reunite with her through the use of virtual reality technology (Fig 5.). This project was produced by Munhwa Broadcasting Corp, in collaboration with six different studios over the course of a year. The studios worked with Ji-sung’s family to create a simulation of her daughter using images, videos and memories shared by family members.
To create the avatar, a child actor was used as a model to replicate her movements. In the documentary, it shows Jang in a green screen room wearing a VR headset and gear while interacting with her daughter’s avatar. Without the visual aid of the virtual world and the avatar, the viewer would only see Jang in an empty green screen room seemingly talking to herself.
Fig. 5. Munhwa Broadcasting Corp. Meeting You. 2020. slate.com
https://slate.com/technology/2020/05/meeting-you-virtual-reality-documentary-mbc.html
Fig. 4. Santangelo, Nicole Anne. Sambahin Ang Ngalan Mo. 14 Feb. 2023. Courtesy of the artist.
The use of technology in the form of virtual reality to reconnect with deceased loved ones reflects the human desire to transcend the physical realm and to connect with those who have passed away. The use of traditional practices such as ritual offerings, as in the case of Nakahinumdom Pa Ko Nimo; Wa na Tika Naabtan (I Still Remember You; I Was Not Able to Reach You) (Fig. 6), also serves as a means to connect with ancestors who have passed away. Although reminiscent of the Undas tradition in the Philippines, wherein families visit the graves of their dearly departed and offer food, the performance takes place in a room filled with non-relatives and instead emphasizes my personal attempt to reconnect with my ancestors.
Both the virtual reality technology and my performance use different mediums to reach out to the deceased, yet the intention is the same - to reconnect and to remember. This highlights the significance of ancestral connections and the ways in which people navigate the boundaries between life and death, in the physical and spiritual realms, and traditional and technological means of communications.
My collection of selected works intentionally aims to evoke a sense of displacement in the viewer. Through these works, I hope to inspire empathy and understanding towards the diaspora community. The experience of an installation cannot be replicated in the same way, regardless of attempts to recreate it. This heightened awareness of the uniqueness of the present moment has led me to a deeper appreciation of it.
In a world where media shapes most of the fiber of our being, my art delves into the human need for connection amidst a global landscape that is at once materialistic and spiritually distant. Through a range of mediums including video, performance, projections, and installations, I aim to capture the complex essence of the self in an ever-changing world, and to offer a glimpse into the displaced perspective of those caught in the pain of diaspora. With digital media as my tool, I explore the ephemeral and intangible as I strive to spark empathy for the fearless seekers searching for a glimpse of home in a world that constantly shifts beneath their feet, and within the complex, ever-evolving digital realm.
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