Megan Daalder
From 12 April to 13 May, every Wednesday and Sunday, DailyArt will present you with the award-winning works from the previous editions of the WRO Media Art Biennale – from the years 2011 and 2013 – in the form of pictures and links to the documentation from the WRO Active Art Archive. This presentation of media art – videos, installations, medial performances – is an unprecedented event in app history.
Megan Daalder's installation was inspired by scientific research into people and avatars, and also by so-called mirror therapy used to treat phantom limb syndrome. The artist built a special optical device: a helmet for two that lets each user see his or her own face merged with someone else's. Thanks to the mirrors and special lighting, two people can briefly share identities, each seeing half of their own face blended with the opposite half of the other participant's face. Interestingly, after a few minutes in The Mirrorbox participants in the experiment experience long-lasting effects, such as a sensation that they still share one identity with the other participant, or a feeling that blending two faces entails blending two minds. The Mirrorbox was a WRO 2011 prizewinner.