re:semblance
Digital Death
Milli Encarnacion
2021
Digital Death is a virtual-reality experience that visualizes what the contemporary ego-death experience may look like. Ego-death is a term used to describe the transcendence or surrender of self-identity and is the pinnacle of spirituality for many belief systems. In today’s digital world of selfies, social media, and surveillance capitalism, how much more difficult is it to “turn on, tune in, and drop out,” as famed psychedelic researcher Timothy Leary might say?
Like many others in her generation, Encarnacion has battled self-esteem issues caused by the narcissistic and consumerist atmosphere that social media cultivates. These online reflections of ourselves are our alter-egos; it is much easier to curate our identities over the Internet than it is in-person. Digital Death is loosely based on the writings of Timothy Leary, Ralph Metzner, and Ram Dass in The Psychedelic Experience. Through this VR experience, Encarnacion asks the viewer to see past their many cyber personas.
Artist Bio
I am a multidisciplinary artist aiming to explore consciousness and identity in my work. All of my life experiences have informed each other in some way: as a makeup artist, I find myself relating makeup design to graphic design, and vice versa. Likewise, my time as a music blogger and event photographer allowed me to travel and meet people from all walks of life.
I moved to New York in 2014 to pursue the culture, creativity and curiosity that I craved growing up in coastal Virginia. Artistic expression was my way of exploring the wonders of the world.
Makeup IG: @millimoons
Design IG: @moonrockscreative