What does 'presence' mean now that new technologies are enabling us to be almost anywhere at any time? The Hongkong-based media artist Royce Ng is present from a distance. On stage is a local performer on which Royce's body is projected. His presence is virtual, while he is physically absent. As the lecture performance progresses, the different media start to glitch and fail. The technology gradually takes the upper hand while the onstage avatar fades into the atmosphere. What remains is a shining little dot and the uncertain question: was Royce here, or wasn’t he?

"Somewhere between the by now almost vintage experience of Second Life and old-school social media platforms on the one hand, and independent Artificial Intelligence on the other, Royce Ng challenges us to consider what is real and what is not in our social presence. Where does our material life end, and our digital presence begin?" - Grzegorz Reske, artistic director SPRING

In our digital magazine Royce Ng tells more about his performance and its execution. Read it via this link: https://magazine.springutrecht.nl/spring-2022-magazine/interview-met-royce-ng