Decentering the Human | Kadine James

In an expanded art world that is increasingly embracing games and transmedia practices, Kadine James is a native of the new mixed reality. Through her independent art practice and via her curatorial studio, The Immersive KIND, and in her capacity as Executive Experience Director at the art-driven XR studio, Artificial Rome, she imagines new forms of immersive storytelling that poke at the ways digital identity is fetishized. If Web3 resets the relation of brands to their consumers, James’s worlds reincarnate the individual for the new cultural economy. Here, she discusses more-than-human experience with Alex Estorick.

‍‍‍Alex Estorick: You’ve stated categorically that “the metaverse conversation is over”. Is it now possible to imagine virtual space beyond a land grab or is virtual real estate the new reality?

‍Kadine James: That is right, I think the metaverse conversation has moved on and will continue to evolve as we build the future of the internet. I am constantly searching for new ways to experience the future of the web. Over the years, I have built multiple worlds and multi-user games with Unity and Unreal Engine. I have also built the Immersive Kind Gallery on Oculus with London-based architects Nicola and Seth Rutt of Studio MULTI, observing the rise and fall of land-grabbers.

I am much more interested in the 3D web and mixed realities, and in envisioning what we might be able to feel in the future where we inhabit multiple worlds with the ability to interact in ways that are not currently imaginable.

I am also thinking about AI and our digital citizenship and how this will evolve as the technology allows us to do more. At Artificial Rome, we’ve seen this vision come to life through projects including Diesel’s Metamorph Experience and Legacy of Tomorrow, which involves metahumans. We have also created an interactive billboard for Mercedes-Benz that blends virtual and physical experience.

‍AE: You’ve described a process of “becoming other” through avatars and data bodies that inhabit different spaces simultaneously while speaking multiple languages. How do you understand identity in a more-than-human context? Tell us about some of the projects you’ve experienced that decenter the human.‍

KJ: Identity in a more-than-human context involves embracing the fluidity and multiplicity of our digital selves. Through avatars and data bodies, we can inhabit various spaces simultaneously, expressing different facets of our identity. 

I have multiple avatars and AI agents, including a synthetic version of myself that can speak 120 languages and work while I am sleeping.

XR [extended reality] cloud technologies allow us to experience environments that decenter the human by integrating AI with the immersive 3D web, fostering a sense of shared existence with communities and digital entities. This redefines identity — moving beyond a singular, anthropocentric perspective toward a more interconnected, dynamic experience.

‍AE: Your collaboration with Professor Andrew Edkins explores the concept of “off-world living” through immersive XR experiences. How can interplanetary understanding challenge fetishistic visions of digital and virtual reality?‍

KJ: My conversations with Professor Edkins were aimed at envisioning life beyond earth. 

Through immersive XR experiences, we challenge the notion of digital identity as a fixed, fetishized construct. Instead, we explore how interplanetary living can foster new forms of identity and community that transcend traditional boundaries. 

This approach asks us to think about our place in the universe and how digital and physical realities can coalesce in meaningful ways. I have also been working with the robotics couture 3D designer Abi Sheng who has brought my avatars to life through stunning creations for her brand, Sapiensi. Abi and I are always exploring other planets and off-world living in these digital artworks. ‍‍

AE: I’d like to know about your thoughts on skeuomorphism, where digital versions of notepads, trash bins, and white cubes are used to onboard humans into new virtual spaces. From your experience, what degree of novelty are people able to accept and how far do they still need skeuomorphs? 

‍KJ: Skeuomorphism plays a crucial role in easing users into new virtual spaces by providing familiar reference points. As users become more comfortable with digital environments, there is a growing appetite for novelty and innovation. At Artificial Rome, we strive to create art-driven experiences with cutting-edge design, gradually introducing more abstract and novel elements. This approach allows users to acclimate at their own pace while still pushing out the envelope of digital experience. We want to bring an element of surprise and play into the worlds we produce and we have an incredible team that allows us to make the internet much more beautiful.‍‍

AE: How should we feel about large companies that regard game platforms such as Roblox and Fortnite as a way into the mindspace of younger generations? Are phygital products becoming the natural means of bridging markets for physical goods with born-digital things? What new forms of subjectivity are being engineered by these hybrid marketplaces?‍

KJ: We are building on such platforms and I have actually just produced my own Fortnite game KKV62 King Tut’s Tomb as I am interested in tapping into the digital cultures of future generations. 

Phygital products, which blend physical and digital elements, are becoming increasingly popular because they offer a seamless bridge between tangible and virtual experience. 

These hybrid marketplaces are creating new forms of subjectivity — shaping user identities and consumer habits in novel ways as they navigate physical and digital realms. This trend underscores the need to understand and design for interconnected experiences. ‍‍

AE: I’ve always been sympathetic to artists who expose the social consequences of new technologies, which often provide answers to problems we didn’t know we had while reiterating exploitation and extraction. What is the genuinely emergent potential of the technologies that you’re working with?‍

KJ: The technologies we work with at Artificial Rome have the potential to create more inclusive, immersive, and meaningful art-driven experiences for society and culture. While it’s crucial to acknowledge and address the harmful consequences of emerging tech, we also see immense opportunities for positive impact. These technologies can democratize access to information, foster global collaboration, and enable new forms of creativity and expression. By focusing on ethical and responsible development, we aim to harness their potential to improve lives and build a more equitable digital future.