Simulacra and Simulation
Chenxiao Li
This thesis project presents an interactive AR installation series that delves into the interplay between reality and representation through the lens of Jean Baudrillard’s theory of Simulacra and Simulation. Baudrillard's philosophy suggests that in the Postmodern era, simulations or copies of reality have become more real than reality itself, leading to a hyperreal experience where the distinction between the real and the simulated blurs. This series, spanning five distinct chapters, uses this theoretical framework to explore and critique tourism culture, a domain where the hyperreal often eclipses the authentic. Tourist destinations are transformed into curated spaces that echo a reality desired by the tourist rather than the actuality of the locale. These environments become copies of places or experiences that no longer have a direct connection to the reality they purport to represent.