Manjing Chen
In the digital age, the boundary between fantasy and reality becomes increasingly blurred, with questions about the mind’s ability to transcend the body. Brands and fandoms now co-create narratives, with fans extracting and reshaping their own stories. Digital media, unlike physical media, is highly replicable, editable, and scalable, which changes how we remember and interact with content. While physical media helps crystallize memories, digital media is mutable, altering our engagement with experiences.
The shift from the culture you pay for to the culture you engage with reflects a change in how we access and own information. This transformation in cultural participation is influenced by the rise of digital tools, including AI, which further blurs the lines between the physical and digital realms, posing new challenges and opportunities. Design plays a crucial role in this shift, not only as a tool for information transmission but as a medium for creating meaningful experiences. Through the combination of design and technology, particularly motion capture and participatory processes, immersive and customizable digital experiences can be crafted. These experiences engage users through serendipity, curiosity, and joy, encouraging reflection on our connections to both the virtual and physical worlds.
In this evolving landscape, the potential for fostering deeper human connections through innovative digital interactions becomes clearer. As technology advances, it offers new ways to enhance collaboration, learning, and productivity, while also inviting us to reconsider how we relate to the world and each other.
Ruby J. Thelot, 2025.
Poster, 24 × 18 in.
Walking in the forest, 2024.
Website.
Does it make sense (3D typography), 2024.
Website.
Q Garden, 2024.
Website.