The Invisibles / Hidden

Living in the US as an immigrant Asian woman has been a discovery experience. I slowly began to feel that I was inconspicuous, something that became more evident as time went by. With The Invisibles, I wanted to express how I sometimes feel invisible. I sometimes feel that I/we are not valued or treated importantly. Through augmented reality animation, I aimed to express the frustration and anger caused by this situation.
One day, I encountered a person on a street who were covering themselves with a thick blanket even though it was hot and sunny. The contrast between this person, fully covered amidst others in summer clothes, created a striking image of isolation within the bustling crowd and gave me inspiration to draw Hidden.
I am interested in visualizing marginalized people in our society, and this scene brought one of those often invisible individuals into the center of my attention. Using augmented reality animation, I attempted to gain a glimpse into what might be going on beneath the blanket.

I believe the biggest difference when animation is presented in a gallery is the flexibility in time. Even though animation is a time-based medium with time embedded in its production, viewers in gallery settings have more freedom regarding how long they engage with the animation. Unlike in theaters, where the audience must adhere to a strict time limit set by the traditional film format, gallery viewers can choose their own pacing.
In my work, the material often includes drawings, paintings, or puppets. These traditional art forms serve as the starting point for the animation, where viewers use their devices to initiate the Augmented Reality Animation.