VIRTUAL Barcelona

Abstract

Digital art and exploration have created a wealth of learning experiences for people all over the world. As we continue to move to an increasingly digital society, digital artists, creators, and designers are left with the responsibility of authentically recreating historical spaces in an online format. As a practicing digital artist and academic researcher focused on bringing Indigenous and Western knowledges together through storytelling, I believe that story and local narratives are pivotal tools for the artist when it comes to developing an enriching digital experience for viewers. While storytelling has a key role to play in bringing historical sights to life, we also have to look at the importance of interactive features and the layering atmospheric elements. I would argue that providing a digital space for an audience to explore is essential to developing an engaging digital location. At the same time, the viewer/user needs to be transported to the location through the senses that are available to them through a screen – the sights, architecture, weather, lighting, soundscapes, and colors of the region that invoke a deep sense of place. By combining story, interactive features, and atmospheric elements, digital artists can transport the audience to heritage sites worldwide, so that the experience is as authentic as possible. Using storytelling and local narratives as a vehicle for the audience’s journey provides new perspectives and knowledges that the audience can immerse themselves in while also allowing them to build a deeper connection to each location.