Consider the degree to which our perception of the world is shaped by digital media. Across social interactions, commerce, work, education, and political engagement; our lives are hyper-mediated by the virtual sites we live with and within.
In the coming years, the impact of digital media on our daily interactions will only grow, immersing us in extended realities (XR) that render the distinction between the virtual and the real increasingly redundant. With XR, digital interfaces and experiences will leave the screen and enter the physical spaces around us, becoming part of the fabric of life.
Reflecting on those XR futures and where we are now, those of us involved in its creation must be guided by certain principles to ensure we build XR futures that are equal, safe, inclusive, sustainable, open and transparent. This is especially important for artists invested in the future of XR. We (the authors of this manifesto) believe it is of the utmost importance that artists challenge emerging XR futures to be as ethical, creative, and radical as possible. It is time for our collective Digital Awakening.
This manifesto considers how XR artists and builders can set out on that path. The manifesto combines conceptual art of extended reality futures with speculative thought experiments and written principles to guide the development of positive XR futures.