Abstract
Keywords:
Digital media museology, sensual ethnography, visual matrix method, immersive exhibition evaluation, Indigenous epistemologies, water stewardship
This paper describes the sensory and emotional responses provoked by “Waterways: Past, Present and Future,” an immersive digital exhibition exploring human water relations in the Okanagan valley in Canada. It posits that the exhibition transcends traditional digital media displays by creating a deeply embodied and visceral interaction with the theme of water through sight, sound, and suggested tactility. Applying the visual matrix evaluator method, we discern that the exhibition captures the profound sensory engagement of participants, highlighting how the exhibition facilitates access to the emotional and cultural significances of water. We find that the exhibition not only amplifies the sensory experience of visitors but also resonates with Indigenous epistemologies that celebrate the interconnectedness of life and the holistic acquisition of knowledge. The findings illustrate that Waterways acts as a sensory catalyst that evokes a deeper cognitive and emotional awareness of water’s centrality in ecological and cultural continuums. The paper underscores the value of sensual ethnography in environmental understanding and the integration of Indigenous perspectives in contemporary museology, advocating for an enriched, inclusive dialogue on immersive exhibition design and evaluation.
- Maria Correia is a PhD Candidate in Interdisciplinary Studies at the University of British Columbia Okanagan, where her research focuses on cross-cultural collaboration on water stewardship in the Syilx Okanagan territory. Her work on Waterways centred on researching Syilx indigenous-led innovations on water stewardship and Indigenous-settler adaptive co-management. Before entering the PhD program, Maria had a long career in international development which took her to 40 countries across four continents. During this period, she focused on gender, social development and conflict and development. Aleksandra Dulic is an internationally recognized media artist and scholar working at the intersections of multimedia and live performance with research foci in computational poetics and cross-cultural media performance.
- Dr. Aleksandra Dulic is a founder and a Director of Centre for Culture and Technology and an Assistant Professor in Computational Art at the Creative Studies at UBC Okanagan. Recent works include The Music of the Heaven performance, the Social Life of 9 Water exhibition, and the Waterways Past, Present and Future exhibition. Her current focus is on WaterFutures, which is aimed at developing a place-based, experiential 3D game designed to engage players on water stewardship founded on the Syilx values and practices of water responsibility