Googled Earth
Immersive Media, Video, Print, Painting

2019-
Commission - Sikka 2019 Dubai

Two artists from Iran and USA living in the UAE try to explore these three lands through Google Earth VR; and find a way to complete the image they have had about each other’s countries.
 

But as they soon find out, the Google Earth VR 3D images are also as deformed and distorted as the information they have about each other’s culture and society as seen through mass media, books, films and Internet. These 3D images add another “not quite real” information to their shared experience. And with the tendency to fill in gaps in an unfinished story, each frame is completed with images and ideas drawn from the imagined scene based on their previous information.
 

The project is a research-based documentation consisting of a collection of visual artworks, including machine drawing (robots), embroidery combined with drawing on textile, weaving, and a video, with the discipline that each artist would make at least three artworks representing their imaginary of these three countries, plus the documentation of the process.
 

The process of the project is to travel to these countries by Google Earth, using VR glasses and recording the video. Then, each artist review, collect and selects the visual frames and objects, might combine them with his/her past information, expectation and imagination about that place, and makes a visual not-exactly-real image of each country. A video will also show the virtual journey and there are some installation of the documentation. For artist’s pieces Negin will use drawing on textile, combined with embroidery and collage; and Patrick will make digital images performed by robots, and as weaving.