My Digital Art Journey Towards Alternative Futurism:
Special sharing by 6 Artists from RCCAPV’s Artists in Virtual Residence (AiVR) 

Abstract:Afro-futurism, Latino-futurism, Sino-futurism, and Gulf-futurism…across time and space, the Global South has strived to forge its own sociotechnical imaginaries of the future, breaking free from Western hegemony and discursive discipline. Yet the advent of new technologies and platforms has also opened up unprecedented new possibilities. We invited six VR and digital artists from Argentina, China and Tanzania to share their creative journeys in crafting an Alternative Futurism deeply rooted in their distinct cultural heritages, as well as their dynamic responses to the rapidly evolving sociotechnical landscape.

 

About the Speakers:

Alex Mkwizu/Tanzania Alex Mkwizu is a multidisciplinary award-winning artist with over four years of experience, passionate about experimenting with different media and leveraging digital technologies. His work focuses on using new media, particularly AI (Artificial Intelligence) and XR (Extended Reality) to enhance human storytelling capabilities mainly focusing on decolonising and emancipating African narratives from all kinds of bondages , biases or perpetuated lenses in which they are framed. 

 

Bernard Masika/Tanzania I am an XR developer and 3D artist based in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, specializing in VR, AR, and MR experiences for education, storytelling, and cultural preservation across Africa. My recent work includes Cradle MR (exploring African art and artifact history) and various educational XR simulations built with Unity Engine.

 

Gwamaka Mwabuka/Tanzania  A digital storyteller, and award-winning creative director with a Master’s in Digital Narratives and 10+ years of experience in multimedia production. Founder of Tai Studios, leading the production of 40+ short films and a feature-length film, leveraging storytelling and technology to communicate complex messages and inspire action.

 

Gonzalo Orce/Argentina I'm a XR/AI Developer (M.A.), AR and VR Designer (B.A.) and Multimedia Designer (B.A) with a background in development, drawing and storytelling. Although I’m striving to be more “scientific”, at heart I will always consider myself first and foremost an artist. Almost a decade ago I decided to leave my country Argentina to pursue my dreams. These took me through several countries until I arrived in Germany, where I discovered the new technologies in the XR industry and immediately saw its potential in many areas. I wanted - and needed - to learn plenty of new stuff so, with a lot of effort, I adapted once again and became a student in the Darmstadt University of Applied Sciences.

 

Shelley Nee/China Shelley grew up between Shanghai and Guangzhou, currently studying at the School of Journalism and Communication at the Chinese University of Hong Kong. Her practice includes documentary, sound, performance, and digital art. Approaching from an anthropological perspective, she explores the complexities of nonverbal media and their potential to engage with communities.

 

Qiming Gu/China Qiming is an innovative AI professional with a proven track record of  transforming complex technological challenges into  creative solutions. Expertise in large language model development, AI-generated content, and digital innovation, with a strategic approach to product design and implementation. Demonstrated success in product development and UX/UI design with focus on AI implementation.