Aziza Digital Ethnography

Digital Ethnography
and Virtual Worlds

Aziza Ismail
Professor Stokrocki
Avatar name: aismail4 Summer II 2012

Ethnography:
Descriptive study of a particular human society. Contemporary
ethnography is based almost entirely on fieldwork. The ethnographer
lives among the people who are the subject of study for a year or
more, learning the local language and participating in everyday life
while striving to maintain a degree of objective detachment. He or
she usually cultivates close relationships with “informants” who can
provide specific information on aspects of cultural life.

Digital ethnography is simply the application of new technologies to
the process of ethnography.
(referenced from: Reference.com)

Stages:
1. Data Collection
a term used to describe a process of preparing and collecting data. The purpose
of data collection is to obtain information to keep on record, to make decisions
about important issues, or to pass information on to others. The method used in
Ethnography is meant to capture the “social meanings and ordinary activities” of
people (informants) in “naturally occurring settings” that are commonly referred
to as “the field.” (Wikipedia)
2. Content Analysis:
A methodology in the social
sciences for studying the
content of communication.
(provides insight into the
research topic) (to “discover
logical patterns and social
structure”) (Wikipedia)
3. Comparative Analysis:
Method of analysis that
compares and contrasts two
things.

Research Questions:

1. What artwork forms and
methods do they use?

2. What does their artwork
mean – expressions?

3. What are their art preferences?

Context and Participants:
Afghan Virtual Museum, Second Life
http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Trillia/

Mountainous, rigid terrain, a waterfall and a small pond. Mostly isolated, desert
landscape. Camels, snakes, and flying birds. A museum atop a mountain. Rooms each
elevated, each on higher land than the other. Modeled after traditional Afghan
Architecture, with flat roofs which act as additional exhibit spaces/markets. Selling of
virtual Afghan clothing. Museum is modeled as a traditional Afghan home.
Additionally, there are caves, sky buildings, magic carpet rides, genies, and much
more to explore. Very little greenery available. Architecture created with stones and
natural materials (digitally textured to look so)

Community:

Picture from AVM webpage

This is a museum dedicated to the Afghan cause -- teaching the West about
Afghanistan, spreading awareness of women's issues of Afghanistan (RAWA), having
participants question the NATO occupation of Afghanistan, which are some of the goals
of the museum. The museum attracts people both Afghans and non-Afghans who share
these interests. Racially, Afghanistan itself is very diverse, being homes to several
ethnicities. The language of the Museum is English and was created by a Western artist
for Western audiences. Many different locations for meetings to take place. Seating is
arranged with traditional Afghan furniture, aligned against a wall. Really an immersive
experience into an aspect of Afghan culture. Allowing for a better understanding of it --
a powerful learning experience. Lots of information on the walls, many items to click
on to provide visitor with more information. Not just a bunch of written material, but
also a lot of visual and interactive materials. Visitors may also donate to RAWA by
purchasing items (i.e. Afghan dress) from the marketplace, located on the roof of the
museum.

Artist:
The artist I chose was Trill
Zapatero. I chose her
because she started and has
done most of the work on
the Afghan Virtual Museum.
Her avatar looks very young
and seems to have a mix of
different styles of clothing –
as she is always changing. I
found her by clicking for
information at the museum.
Then I sent here a private
message.

Data Collection:
[12:09] Trill Zapatero: I've been
working on other projects since then
[12:10] Trill Zapatero: well I started
by bringing in paintings
[12:10] Trill Zapatero: then I started
to raise funds for RAWA
[12:10] Trill Zapatero: do you know
RAWA?
[12:10] aismail4: I have heard of them.
[12:10] Trill Zapatero: the revolutionary association of the women of Afghanistan
[12:10] aismail4: I've visited there site before
[12:11] Trill Zapatero: so I make clothes and send the proceeds to them
[12:11] aismail4: Why do you make art on Second Life? What are the benefits?
[12:11] Trill Zapatero: a person can make quite a bit of money in SL
[12:11] Trill Zapatero: at certain things, clothes being one of them
[12:11] Trill Zapatero: well, the benefits are many
[12:12] Trill Zapatero: for one, it's a whole new genre, virtual world building and
installations
[12:12] Trill Zapatero: and the opportunity to collaborate on projects with people all
over the world
[12:12] Trill Zapatero: it's a great way to share your work internationally too
[12:12] Trill Zapatero: and meet a lot of very interesting people

Content Analysis
What is Art?
She is a Painter and illustrator. Her work is mostly in SL although she does RL
as well. The boundaries between which are blurry.
What is title -favorite artwork? Why choose?
The Grail. Meaning of life. Good things people do in life vs. the bad things.
Why make it?
New genre, opportunity to collaborate with people all over the world.
How made?
Started with bringing in paintings. Illustrates book digitally. Built the building
and exhibits with a combination of sculpts and system prims. Sculpts made in
an external program. Textures made in Photoshop. AC3d or Maya. Open
source tools --scripting, etc. Use of
photography, textures, 3D
objects, collage, paint.

Where from?
Travels all over and is inspired
by her travels.
Expression:
Color, line, etc.?
Each thing is so different. Like
to use many different
possibilities. Mixing b/w
schemes with color. Mixing
abstract and representation.
Magical symbols. Straight
graphics and symbols. Mix
drawing and painting. Mix 3d
build with 2d art. Metaphor.
Collaborate with whom?
With people all over the world. Sims. Big builds with several artists working
together. A LEA project with a Frenchwomen.
Evolving Questions?

Comparative Analysis & Conclusions
The artwork forms and methods used by this avatar included
Drawing, sculpture, Digital art forms - 3D modeling using Maya and
sculpting using AC3D. Painting, etc. Her method is to upload as textures
onto 3D surfaces.
Her artwork is very open as she likes to try out many things and thus the
meanings and expressions they take on are many. For example, her grail
quest, this expresses the problems of the world to the visitor. She also has
in her work magical symbols of alchemy, hidden messages and stories. The
grail itself is symbol for all the good things in life - it's meant to be a cup
that heals the world. It can, however, take on many different meanings to
different people. To the artist, it is us humans who are the grail; those of us
who do the little good things that all add up.

The artists preferences, she is
currently an illustrator, she illustrates
books digitally that can be viewed
online on the Huffington Post. She
also designs and sells digital clothing
online at the Second Life Marketplace
of which she sends the proceeds to
the non-profit organization, RAWA.
She prefers to be open to different
possibilities. She also enjoys
sculpting, creating architecture. She
travels around the world, although
she hasn't been to Afghanistan. She
works with international artists, and
creates in Second Life, artifacts that
are inspired from other parts of the
world.

Second Life has its benefits compared to Real life. It offers its artists many
opportunities, among them are opportunities to collaborate with different
artists, while separated physically and in disparate lands. It provides the
opportunity to bring together 2D and 3D artwork, and allows for artists to
showcase their work to the international community. Artists are able to
raise awareness of different issues and to raise funds for non-profit
organizations, thus does Second life make possible community
engagement. It allows users to experience the art, and thus the art is not
static but rather immersive and dynamic. There is much more that can be
done with 3D artwork in a virtual environment than in the 2D artwork in
real life. Your artwork becomes potentially more accessible to a greater
and far more diverse audience/viewers.

As Sanchez states in his writings, Second life can be very time consuming; it can open
up possibilities for more creativity; and overall artists enjoy building in Second life. It
took Trill 2 years to work on the Afghan Virtual Museum and yet there still remain
the possibilities of expanding. She did state that she very much enjoyed working on
the project. She has explored many and very creative ways to display her artwork at
the museum, including genie lamps, holograms, magic carpet rides, caves and secret
doors, sky rooms, games, etc. Second life also allowed her to be more creative as she
could mix her 2D artwork with 3D forms. Trill also took advantage of the digital
storytelling opportunities that are offered in Second Life. She had created an
immersive learning environment, meant to teach people about the Afghan people
and country. She wishes that this museum would get people to question the NATO
occupation of Afghanistan. She takes visitor through games that get people to
question the meaning of life and its troubles. In second life you are not limited by
what is or is not possible in real life, therefore you have many more
opportunities, and many more opportunities to be more creative/imaginative. You
are not limited by financial or physical constraints, either. Of course, it depends upon
the skills of the SL artists to make his/her vision a reality.

Aziza Digital Ethnography

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