ADEDOTUN OJO

Throughout the time of stay-at-home orders, there was more exposure to technology than usual. Especially with everything moving to an online setting. This project is to be reminiscent of Augmented Reality games. The biggest inspiration of this project is Pokemon Go and open world video games like Legend of Zelda. Many have felt a sense of boredom due to isolation. However, that boredom can also be a stepping stone for developing imagination. This exhibit hopes to give viewers a feeling of imagination and fascination with the collection of gif collages. By using found footage from a popular game like Pokemon and juxtaposing it with photography, the purpose is to evoke imagination in the viewer along with feelings of nostalgia. 

The beginning of this process was photography. The photos were primarily taken at various places around the home. Some of them were outside, but through a window, so there is still a sense of being guarded from the outdoors. The next step was to source found footage that could play the role of the virtual element. The correlation between the photograph and the found object is important, because the combination of both is intended to replicate the experience of the isolated viewer. In addition, taking photos at many different angles helps translate the concept of a wide range of perspectives.

This exhibition relates to art and the concept of detournement, which is the idea of re-contextualizing images and giving the artwork a new meaning. Creating digital collages, and the art of appropriating found footage gives both the photography and found image a new context when collaged together. This exhibition relates to the real world because it shows how one can feel imaginative despite being isolated from the outdoors, which illuminated how many had to adjust during the early wave of the pandemic. Imagination and creativity are more likely to grow and evolve when one is alone because it gives more room for daydreaming and self-reflection.