export to world

the project 'export to world' by linda kostowski and sascha pohflepp deconstructs the visual conventions of the virtual world brilliantly. they take the way ordinary "real life" objects are visually depicted inside second life—like calculators or donuts—and then materialize those objects physically in the real world as paper models (and even offer up instructions for how to do it yourself here). the disjunctures are compelling, and revealing of what is both lost and gained in the bounce between real-world referent to virtual-world representation to real-world object again. as much about the translations between virtual, 2d/physical, 3d space as the fantasies embodied in the online worlds we create. learn more about export to world here.

[all from export to world. 2007. top to bottom: screen capture from second life. export to world instructions by baccara rhodes. 3d paper calculator based on second life. screen capture from second life. export to world instructions by linda kostowski/sascha pohflepp. 3d paper donut based on second life.]