Here I am: Doing Culture Together. A Collaborative Exhibition Project that considers Cultural Ideas from New Zealand

This paper outlines a collaborative design student project conducted in rural Northern New York. The collaboration required teachers and students from a range of cultural and environmental backgrounds, and enrolled in two different courses, to work together on a shared project. Central to the project was a visit and lecture by a contemporary artist and museum professional from New Zealand. The students were introduced to contemporary Mori art (reflecting indigenous art concepts and practices from New Zealand), and used this as a lens to investigate their own culture and ancestors. The resulting interactive exhibition connected Augmented Reality software with deeply personal stories to develop a new work that required – and shared – a common acceptance of both personal identity and difference. This practice-based research evaluates the importance of design students engaging with cultural material in tangible and personal ways.