This project was created during the course Simulated Spaces: Online Curating Across Disciplines which is a part of University of Wide Art Studies (UWAS) at Aalto University, Helsinki, Finland.
The contributors to the project have explored the issues related to the emotional expression in a new highly digitalised way of communication.
Project contributors: Mika Kiviniemi, Fanni Perälä, Harri Pöyhönen, Alexandra Stroganova
Emotional expressions have been under the scrutiny for a couple of decades across a diverse range of disciplines since the publication of the Charles Darwin's (1872) book The Expression of the Emotions in Man and Animals. Nowadays, we have access to many different technological advantages, such as AI, e.g., which allow us to deepen our knowledge in this area. However, there are many ethical concerns regards application of algorithms in this regard.
But let us think about emotional expressions in our current highly digitalised world.
This year’s sudden transition into “remote” mode of existing as a result of measures taken worldwide to prevent the spread of novel coronavirus disease, increased the use of telecommunication technologies through such platforms as, e.g., Zoom. For many people “Zooming” became the everyday work, study, and leisure routine. In this transition into a hybrid way of existence (partly physical, partly digital) the experience of communication becomes increasingly fragmented. As we and our interlocutors are confined to the limiting frames of our devices during video communication, it inevitably affects our way of communication.
How does this remote working on such digital platforms as Zoom affect our ways of expressing and observing emotions? By utilising Zoom as a tool not only for communication but also for creating audiovisual artistic material we wish to explore the outlined question. Observing our own ways of emotional expressions during remote work, we hope to broaden our understanding of "remote state of mind". The outcomes of our exploration are presented in this online exhibition.