Crutch CAC - An Infinite Loop in the Virtual Plaza
- Artist: Sophia Oppel
- Medium: Multimedia Installation
- Project Type: Independent Projects
- Neighbourhood: West Queen West
This sculptural video-installation immerses audiences into a landscape. This terrain maps the parallels between public architectures and “user-friendly” digital interfaces.
Location
-
Address:
Unit G 13 Mansfield Ave.
In the laneway behind Mansfield Avenue. - Public Washrooms: No
- Physical Access: Wheelchair accessible, uneven surface throughout the viewing area
- Indoors/Outdoors: Indoors
The Project
The architecture of malls, plazas, airports and lobbies serve the same “placeless” function as social-media interfaces. These spaces provide a supposedly “neutral” experience that foregrounds content and give users a sense of agency, while concealing the extraction of free labour and 24/7 surveillance. Many physical and virtual spaces reinforce the illusion that everyone there has the same access and the same rights, while in reality, they exacerbate inequality and apathy. These are some of the troubling dynamics that the artist will try to visualize in this installation.
The Artist
Sophia Oppel’s work addresses the power embedded in digital networks, and their manifestations in real-life experiences. Oppel’s art is based in digital media and interactive installations. She uses algorithms, web applications and software presets as subject matter, and tries to examine the assumptions imposed on users of these tools.