"the creation of an avatar becomes like the creation of a piece of artwork--it is not just a visual presentation, but also the meaning behind the visual image. Therefore, the process of creating avatars can contribute to future art education by becoming a pedagogical force and art practice."
(Liao, 2008, p. 38)
What is an avatar? A virtual representation of oneself. A visual statement from its creator. An exploration of one's self. A reinvention of identity. A context in which a person can explore life in a way that would otherwise be impossible. Liberation. Confinement. An exercise in communication. It is organic, evolving, growing, maturing, regressing, reflecting. It is who we want to be right now. Or who we want to be tomorrow.
Meet GemHollogram. Newest resident of Second Life. She is my empowered persona. Named after a my childhood idol (of sorts) another avatar, Jem (1985-88), and her musical group the Holograms (mispelling was intentional as to make her my own). Jem was an alter-ego brought to life by the character Jerrica Benton through a fictional computer system known as Synergy. GemHollogram is modeled after Kate Beckinsale's character, Selene, in the Underworld Trilogy. She represents power, control, intelligence, and a subtle fierceness that, upon first impression, radiates as cold or aloof.
"The autoethnographic subject blurs the distinction between ethnographer and Other by traveling, becoming a stranger in a strange land, even if that land is a fictional space existing only in representation."
(Russell, 1999, p. 280 as quoted in Liao, 2008, p. 32)
Exploring Second Life for the first time was extremely intimidating. An error in my internet connection led me to enter the world for the first time as a Panda. Great! I could feel the anxiety building up as I had absolutely NO idea how to change the suit to something normal. There I was a visitor in a land where I did not know the language, had no control, and was a complete alien -- dressed in a panda suit. Reflecting on this experience helps me to address the question: is our body as political as it is physical? Why did I even care what I looked like? No one in SL knew me. I was a stranger to all of them. However, I was keenly aware that visual stereotypes were present. By viewing other avatars around me and rejected attempts to "chat" with others, I could immediately see that I did not fit in this particular venue. After moving through the space and interacting with the software, I since realized that several of the avatars in that first encounter were in fact editing their own appearances at that moment. So, maybe, I wasn't that strange. However, my sense of self and identity were tied to the first impression that I felt I was making in Second Life. While my character was gender neutral, it still strayed from the traditional patriarchal roles that (at first glance) appeared to dominant.
The form we choose for our avatar dictates how others will interact with us. In an article discussing body, self, and identity in the works of Claude Cahun and Cindy Shermann, Lucy Lippard states that "the body remains inherently vulnerable as the most private and intimate 'thing' we 'have.' It is also the most public. The body, face included, is that part of us that is physically projected into the world. It precedes the self. It precedes us, as women, into every social and political situation. It is what everyone sees and thinks they know" (Lippard, 1999, p. 27). While this statement was referring to the body politics of the female form, I believe it is applicable to the avatar body as well. In real life, as well as in a virtual realm like Second Life, the hegemonic ideals for body image are reinforced. Most of the men and women I encountered through SL were hyper sexualized. In this particular space it seems that standard for avatar beauty mirrors real life.
The form we choose for our avatar dictates how others will interact with us. In an article discussing body, self, and identity in the works of Claude Cahun and Cindy Shermann, Lucy Lippard states that "the body remains inherently vulnerable as the most private and intimate 'thing' we 'have.' It is also the most public. The body, face included, is that part of us that is physically projected into the world. It precedes the self. It precedes us, as women, into every social and political situation. It is what everyone sees and thinks they know" (Lippard, 1999, p. 27). While this statement was referring to the body politics of the female form, I believe it is applicable to the avatar body as well. In real life, as well as in a virtual realm like Second Life, the hegemonic ideals for body image are reinforced. Most of the men and women I encountered through SL were hyper sexualized. In this particular space it seems that standard for avatar beauty mirrors real life.
"The most basic questions about being human involve and sometimes confuse body, soul, self, and identity--a progression from protection to projection that is not necessarily an evolution."
- Lucy Lippard, Scattering Selves
Mouselook is a view that I rarely find myself using unless I want a closer look at something (i.e. a piece of art). I am actually more comfortable and feel more in control when I can see my avatar. Looking through her eyes takes away my control. Without the ability to "sense" when people are around me, I am unable to know when people move into and out of my space. I also prefer the "rear-view" of my avatar. This view enables me to experience the interactions with other residents "as my avatar." Seeing what she sees. Seeing how other react and interact with her. In this view, I can be her and watch her simultaneously. As a teacher, the ability to both view and interpret the classroom setting from a bird's eye view (the teacher's view) as well as the "mouselook" view of my students is critical in creating an environment that is stimulating and effective. What are the landmarks that I use to locate myself as a teacher? My students. How they interact with me. Just as my experience with my avatar is shaped by my interactions with the space and other avatars around me, my experience as an effective teacher is shaped by my interactions with the classroom and the students within it.
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| Advertisement connecting SL to RL |
One of my favorite spaces to hang out in SL is the Timamoon Arts Gallery and Community. This space features (and links) to real life and Second Life artists. The space is comfortable, beautiful, inviting, and scarcely occupied. I am able to roam through the halls and view the art without interruption. Occasionally, another avatar will be there to engage in conversation. However, it is for me a place of escape from having to interact with others in SL.
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| One of my favorite galleries. The artist is Mathilde Vhargon. See advertisement above. |
After exploring this world of virtual representation, I recognize two places for integration into arts education: avatar creation and environment creation. Students could create the personas that interact within this space, as well as have an integral part in constructing the environment. For this to be successful as a "lesson" that encourages and ensures virtual diversity, multivocality, diverse and multiple perspectives, access to the space would need to be controlled. Although there are closed groups with limited access in Second Life, this environment would not be the best forum for students of certain ages to interact. (For this exercise, I did not explore View. I imagine it may be a safer place for students to conduct this type of experimentation.)
Before beginning, students could collaboratively address stereotypes they wish to avoid in their environment and brainstorm alternatives. Participants could also set a basic guideline or code of ethics for the environment and how avatars will interact within the space. By allowing students to explore themselves in a safe, non-judgemental environment free from the power politics that often surface in any social sphere, they will be able to face and reject stereotypes of gender, race, and socioeconomic status. However, there will still be students who succumb to the hegemonic views of body and create images based on or as extensions of the stereotypes they view as desirable or necessary for success. To address this, students could be required to offer a rationale for various elements of their creations.
Before beginning, students could collaboratively address stereotypes they wish to avoid in their environment and brainstorm alternatives. Participants could also set a basic guideline or code of ethics for the environment and how avatars will interact within the space. By allowing students to explore themselves in a safe, non-judgemental environment free from the power politics that often surface in any social sphere, they will be able to face and reject stereotypes of gender, race, and socioeconomic status. However, there will still be students who succumb to the hegemonic views of body and create images based on or as extensions of the stereotypes they view as desirable or necessary for success. To address this, students could be required to offer a rationale for various elements of their creations.
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| View from my favorite gallery. |
By interacting with another inhabitant of Second Life, I began to learn the lingo and understand how to use the space. Her response to "what is there to do in SL?" was "anything you can do in rl [real life] and more." Avatars are extensions of the real life self. For some people, it is the preferred self because with the avatar the possibilities are endless. I am only limited by my own knowledge, time and ability to move and interact within space. While these limitations are intimidating and frustrating, the experience of learning something completely novel to me is exhilarating. Here's to a happy Second Life!
Liao, C. (2008). My metamorphic avatar journey. Visual Culture & Gender, 3, 30-39.
Lippard, L. (1999). Scattering selves. In S. Rice (Ed.), Inverted Odysseys: Claude Cahun, Maya Deren, Cindy Sherman Cambridge, Massachusetts: The MIT Press.
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