Alessandra Plaza Saraiva

Bye Bye Map: PixelRecycle

FILE 2018 | FILE MEDIA ART
Electronic Language International Festival

Abstract:
This project consists of a software written in Processing that allows the user to modify the pixels of a map of the district of Asia in the Province of Cañete, Perú. Once a year, and for a very short time, many limeños transit an endless asphalt highway along the coast. On one side, spaces of arid land and precarious constructions; on the other, luxury housings with swimming pools and exclusive beaches. The district of Asia is where the wealthiest portion of Lima’s population spend their summer. In this sense, the Panamericana Sur is not only a highway but a symbolic division of the very wealthy from the very poor. This project proposes to reimagine the territory through digital alteration by glitching, blurring, or just replacing the pixels from the map.

Biography:
I’m a Peruvian based artist and teacher assistant professor at the Faculty of Art and Design, Pontifical Catholic University of Peru (PUCP). My work is driven by the goal of creating socially engaged content that can enable access to information, knowledge and resources with which we can create spaces and platforms for discussion, creation and reflection regarding our socio-political conflicts. Specifically, I am interested in addressing this through the integration of art and technology by creating interactive media, visual explorations, and immersive installations, engaging with familiar resources and using different media to achieve the greatest social impact with my work. I want to challenge the normative in our global society, questioning our perception of political representation, culture and territory.