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Seeing I: The Other

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Seeing I (Date TBC): For 24-hours a day, for 7-days, artist Mark Farid will wear a virtual reality headset, experiencing life through the eyes and ears of one person; hearing only what they hear and seeing only what they see for one week.

Inspired by Psychologist Philip Zimbardo’s ‘Stanford Prison Experiment’ (1971), Philosopher Jean Baudrillard’s ‘Simulacra and Simulation’ (1981), and Artist Josh Harris’ ‘Quiet: We Live in Public’ (1999), Seeing I will confine Farid to a gallery space, subject to the simulated life of the project’s Other. With no existing relationship to the Other, how will the constant stream of artificial sights and sounds start to displace Farid’s own internal monologue? For the duration of the project, Farid will experience no human interaction relative to his own life, allowing his indirect relationship with the Other to become his leading narrative.

Adapting the question of nature vs. nurture to the digital age, Seeing I will consider how large a portion of the individual is an inherent self, and how large a portion is a consequence of environment and culture. How will the 7-days alter Farid’s movement, mannerisms, personality, and most importantly, his rationale? Without free will to determine and shape who he is, will Farid’s consciousness be enough to deter significant change?

Seeing I was conceived and created by artist Mark Farid, is commissioned by arebyte Gallery (UK), and the European Media Art Platform's EMARE program at Werkleitz (DE), with the support of the Creative Europe Culture Programme of the European Union (EU), the National Theatre Immersive Storytelling Studio (UK), Body>Data>Space (UK), and the Sundance Institute (USA).

Seeing I: The Other, as part of the European Media Artist in Residency Exchange, 2020/21

Culminating an online residency with the the European Media Art Platform's program at Werkleitz, as part of the Creative Europe Culture Programme of the European Union, we screened the lives of three migrants, in first person point of view.

Screening 360° Video

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Seeing I: Pilot, at Ars Electronica Digital Arts Festival, 2nd - 8th September 2019

Culminating a residency at Ars Electroinca Digital Arts Festival; for seven consecutive days, artist Mark Farid wore a VR headset for nine continuous hours each day, subject to the sights and sounds of a different person each day.

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Experts and Media

Mark Farid talking about Seeing I

Times Radio: Michael Portillo interviewing artist Mark Farid. October 2020

Impakt Festival. November 2019

Team, Funders, Partners and Supporters

Funders

Arebyte Gallery, UK

European Media Art Platform's program at Werkleitz, and the Creative Europe Culture Programme of the European Union, EU

Imagine Science Films, in partnership with New York University, Abu Dhabi, USA

Current Team

Mark Farid Artist, Producer, and Subject

Toby Coffey Producer and Consultant

Dr. Mavi Sanchez Clinical Psychologist and Neuroscientist

Ghislaine Boddington Dramaturg

Supporters

National Theatre Immersive Storytelling Studio, UK

Body>Data>Space, UK

The Sundance Institute, USA

With Special Thanks To

Gallery Director Nimrod Vardi

Filmmaker John Ingle

Producer Tadej Vindis

The Mindfulness Centre of Excellence, UK

Ravensbourne University, UK

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