Displacement of Self-Continuity

Abstract

This research considers how a fictional allegory can be employed to examine issues of acculturation, displacement and identity transition [Addis and Tippett, 2008]. Using the story of a refugee family, my PhD research by artistic practice explores the implications of reconstructing an identity inside the body of a new culture. The animated short film, Stella, being developed as the final artefact, is designed to serve as a provocative vehicle for considering the social implications of identity loss and transition. Methodologically, the project employs a heuristic inquiry to increase the chances of discovery in a process that is intuitively negotiated [Ings, 2011]. In processing the inquiry, I shape the work and I am shaped by unexpected discoveries. Inside this dynamic, I generate a narrative embodiment of theory. This relationship may result in elevating both the self (the writer/director/animator) and the body of knowledge, though the making process [Moustakas, 1990]. Beyond its contribution to understanding processes and implications of acculturation, displacement, and identity transition, the project technological significance lies in its propensity to extend the application and demonstrate the potential of deep learning algorithms, performance capture using motion capture technology, and utilising 3d laser scanning and photogrammetry in digital human development.