Barely There
Alice Yeji Kim
When attempting to place human identity out of context, three internal “disconnects” form: self/other, material/immaterial, past/present. Ironically, it is the demonstration of these disconnects wherein one can see the fibers that make up our sense of self and consciousness. Drawing from this idea, barely there is a two-part project catering to the modern nomad, aimed to function as a form of consolation to those who have relocated so often as to feel as if they are absent from the present.
The significance of this project lies in creating a collective identity that grows as the community grows. A space where strangers may interact intimately yet anonymously with people who have literally traveled on the same paths—and by this interaction, provide relief to those who feel as if their identities were lost in their travels.
Audio notes are pockets of intimacy.
Part 1 is Pokket, an app that lets you share memories through location. Using AR technology, the app fuses physical landscape with a virtual server, allowing users to upload geo-specific audio notes, dubbed Pokkets, that may be shared with other users. Through this system, the modern nomad is able leave audio footprints to share their stories and listen to Pokkets that other users have left behind—creating an imagined community composed of anonymous travelers. Part 2 is a welcome note. A map is mailed to users when they create an account with Pokket. The map is of the city the user is in—illustrated by a gradation of color that captures the current dispersion of Pokkets in that moment. It is a tangible welcome note designed to commemorate the moment the user joins the community.