Traces of Self is a multidisciplinary art showcase featuring projects by Media & Performance Production (MAPP) 400 students. MAPP is a program co-coordinated by the Department of Film & Media and the DAN School of Drama & Music at Queen's University in Kingston, Canada. The Media & Performance Production Major Project (MAPP 400 / Fall 2024 & Winter 2025) is a practice-based capstone course that provides students with the opportunity to explore and create digital media projects integrating audiovisual productions and live arts through interactive, augmented, and immersive media. In the 2025 MAPP showcase, Traces of Self, students from diverse backgrounds examine their identities and sense of self using various tools and methods, engaging with themes of cultural identity, the body, relationships with technology and nature, family, and nostalgia. Media and performance serve as both a medium and a tool for the reinterpretation, transformation, and exploration of the self.
SHOWCASE TITLE: Traces of Self
LOCATION: The Power Corporation of Canada Studio Theatre 104, Isabel Bader Centre for the Performing Arts, Kingston, Ontario, Canada
DATES: March 22, Saturday
SHOWCASE HOURS: 3:00 pm – 8:00 pm
OPENING CEREMONY AND PERFORANCE: 5:00 pm – 6:30 pm
ARTISTS: Abigail Boatright, Adam Spiwak, Annabelle Brophy, Catriona Delaney, Chloe Mckay, Chris Bai, Clare Mcguffin, Dian Xu, Diane Juodis, Hunter Wolfe, Jerall Li, Jo Chen, Joseph Guido, Kelvin Chun, Lucas Nasu Nielsen, Matthew Mcdonald, Natalia Penaloza, Natalie Maclagan, Nathan Zhe, Ruoting Chen, Skyler James, Xixi Zhou, Yuchen Tang
PERFORMANCE COORDINATOR: Skyler James
INSTALLATION COORDINATOR: Nathan Zhe
MARKETING COORDINATOR: Kelvin Chun
LIGHTING DESIGN: Jerall Li
POSTER DESIGN: Abigail Boatright & Chloe McKay
PROJECT SUPERVISOR: Sojung Bahng
PRODUCTION COORDINATOR & THEATRE TECHNICAL SUPERVISOR: Brian Frommer
SUPPORTED by Department of Film & Media and DAN School of Drama & Music, Queen's University
Projects
Regeneration; Rebirth; Restoration, 2025, Live Digital Performance
Abigail Boatright, Skyler James
Regeneration;Rebirth;Restoration is a live performance piece that explores transhumanism through a queer lens. A double handed utopian/dystopian solution to a human made problem concerning escaping our current gender binary and the limitations of the physical human form. This piece depicts a human form transitioning their soul into technological materials in an attempt to transcend the human form. The performance showcases the inner desires of the artist's psyche, however, the existence of this piece as a performance creates a level of dismay as this is only a glimpse of an inner dream that cannot tangibly exist in this reality.
Starry Night, 2025, Media Installation & Augmented Reality (AR)
Adam Spiwak
Starry Night is an encapsulation of the nostalgic feeling of being by a campfire and looking at the stars. With a small and intimate canopy, you will be able to enter into nature with a projected ceiling of the night sky, a fire, and sounds of the environment! Through the use of augmented reality via Snapchat, you will be able to see animations of many constellations in the Northern Hemisphere, along with descriptions of their origins, history, and meaning. Starry Night is an educational and experiential intimate setting of the night sky.
Tatau: Ink in Motion, 2025, Live Installation & Augmented Reality (AR)
Annabelle Brophy
Experience tattoos in a whole new dimension with Tatau: Ink in Motion. This innovative installation fuses a live model, documentary, and cutting-edge augmented reality (AR) to create a truly unforgettable encounter.
Begin your journey with a short film exploring the rich personal meaning and creativity of tattooing. Then, step into the spotlight, where a single tattooed individual awaits. Using your mobile device, unlock hidden stories by scanning specific tattoos. Witness incredible original AR animations unfold before your eyes—a simple scan can transform static ink into a dynamic visual narrative. Each animation offers a unique and personal glimpse into the model's story and the artist's distinct drawing style. This immersive experience lasts approximately 10-15 minutes, with each AR interaction taking around 5-10 seconds. Tatau invites you to explore the profound connection between body art, technology, and personal expression.
Languages of Love, 2025, Mixed Media Installation
Catriona Delaney
Languages of Love is an installation piece that aims to celebrate how expressions of love can be found in a variety of languages and how the concept transcends written language. The installation features projection mapping using stop-motion videos of writing in English, French, German, Japanese, Korean, and Chinese.
Introspection, 2025, Media Installation & Augmented Reality (AR)
Chloe Mckay
Introspection is an installation and immersive experience that engages viewers with a personal reflection on mental health. It is an intimate experience in a safe space for audience members to gain a new perspective on mental health. Introspection provides a unique way in which art, media, and technology can express different feelings, perspectives, and ideas surrounding mental health. It aims to leave audience members having found a new perspective on treating others with kindness and checking in with themselves.
Rainstorm, 2025, Live Music Performance
Chris Bai
Rainstorm is a live performance with a musical piece. It is a deeply personal and evocative exploration of emotion, focusing on sound design. At its core is an original song infused with raw, emo-inspired lyricism. The performance will incorporate both music and natural sounds, along with some body movements.
Echoes of Departure, 2025, 360° VR documentary
Dian Xu
Echoes of Departure is a 360° VR documentary that combines real-world filming with virtual environments, capturing the profound emotional and cultural experiences of Dian, a Chinese international student in Canada. The film explores the psychological challenges Dian faces due to cultural conflicts and a sense of lost belonging, while also highlighting the small joys in her journey of forming an artistic identity and personal growth. Through an immersive VR experience, viewers can deeply understand Dian's complex emotions and multifaceted experiences in a foreign land.
Illuminated Seams, 2025, Media Installation & Augmented Reality (AR)
Hunter Wolfe
Illuminated Seams is an installation and a culmination of the experience I gained in my undergraduate degree at Queen’s University. Throughout my time at Queen’s, I have worked as a Costume Designer, a Head of Wardrobe, a Technical Director, and a Lighting Designer. To culminate my Media and Performance Production experience, I have decided to incorporate elements of technical design in a custom-made metal garment. This garment features large amounts of hand-molded and shaped wire art while simultaneously featuring intricate practical lighting design. This piece culminates in a work of art made from illuminating metal seams.
The Never Ending Show, 2025, Live Digital Performance
Jerall Li
This media performance art piece pictures the personal journey of coping with loss, structured around the five stages of grief: denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance. Using symbolic visuals and embodied expressions, it reflects the struggle of processing the death of a loved one—in this case, the artist’s grandmother, whose final moments could not be shared due to commitments abroad. The performance serves as a ritual of farewell, navigating through each stage of grief to confront unresolved emotions and ultimately achieve a sense of closure. It highlights the universal yet profoundly individual nature of mourning, underscoring how absence, regret, and memory intertwine in the healing process. This work not only honors a lost loved one but also embodies the resilience required to move forward, transforming grief into an act of creative catharsis. In the end, the only never-ending show is life.
The Tapestry of Self: Culture Mapped Onto the Body, 2025, Mixed Media Installation
Jo Chen, Kelvin Chun, Natalia Penaloza
The Tapestry of Self: Culture Mapped Onto the Body is an experiential investigation into cultural identity through projection mapping. Using Isadora, we map symbolic imagery of memory, tradition, and experience onto various areas of the body, graphically demonstrating the fluid and changing dynamics of identity. Every projection is an element of collective and personal heritage, such as memories, interpersonal connections, customs, and landscapes. A sparse yet suggestive visual aesthetic underscores the emotional resonance, and painted boxes provide metaphorical vessels for identity formation. This work encourages viewers to reflect upon their own cultural stories and the interdependence of identity.
Sonic Landscapes, 2025, Multimedia Performance
Joseph Guido
Sonic Landscapes is a multimedia performance that blends live synthesizer improvisation with projected visuals of nature to create an immersive audiovisual experience, helping the audience connect with nature on a deeper level. Inspired by personal connections to nature, orchestral tone poems, and electronic music pioneers, the performance explores how sound and imagery can evoke deep emotional responses.
1000 Cranes, 2025, Short Film & Installation
Lucas Nasu Nielsen
1000 Cranes is a silent short film capturing Lucas Nasu Nielsen's grandmother as she folds origami cranes, honoring the Japanese tradition of senbazuru. Through its cinematography, editing, and music, the film reflects on heritage, memory, and the quiet beauty of creation.
Out of Darkness, 2025, Multimedia Performance
Matthew Mcdonald
Out of Darkness is a multimedia performance exploring dark intentions, trust, and what lies beyond the human eye.
Synopsis: Toby wakes up under a single spotlight, surrounded by endless darkness. However, he is not alone. Voices hide in the dark, and they want Toby to join them. Who—or what—can you really trust?
Loved & Lost, 2025, Mixed-Media, Augmented Reality (AR) Photo Album
Natalie Maclagan
Loved & Lost is a mixed-media AR photo album that explores memory, family, and the documentation of life through photographs. Dedicated to the artist's maternal grandparents, the album tells the story of their lives through vintage photos, collage, scrapbook aesthetics, and reflections on their Armenian culture. The project's interactive augmented reality elements explore the relationship between the tangible and intangible, particularly in relation to the loss of loved ones, inviting viewers to reflect on their own memories, lives, and connections to those they've loved and lost.
Virtual Mannequin, 2025, Mixed-Media, Augmented Reality (AR) Installation
Nathan Zhe
Virtual Mannequin is a multilayered virtual representation of bodies, questioning self-perception and internal dialogue. The work explores the boundary and connection between physical and virtual bodies, inviting viewers to reflect on how digital technology influences identity and embodiment.
Sky, Ocean and Land, 2025, Mixed-Media, Interactive, Augmented Reality (AR) Installation
Ruoting Chen, Yuchen Tang, Xixi Zhou (Team Nature)
This project is divided into three parts to demonstrate the diverse aspects of the beauty and wonder of nature: Sky, Ocean, and Land.
Azure: A sky-themed sound installation that features original music and sound effects, with audio randomly generated through programming to ensure each experience is unique. Crafted from clay and wooden strips, this installation embodies the vastness and calmness of the sky. Dynamic projections bring the structure to life, creating an immersive and ever-evolving experience that invites audiences to reflect on the boundless creativity shared between humanity and nature. Each visitor may see the sky differently, and through this artwork, I hope to inspire you to touch the infinite sky, whether you have found your meaning or are still discovering.
Tidal Crystal: An interactive digital installation that captures the fluidity and movement of ocean waves through generative visuals. Inspired by the ever-changing nature of tides, it transforms water’s motion into crystalline structures, symbolizing the balance between order and chaos in the ocean. Utilizing TouchDesigner and Leap Motion, Tidal Crystal offers a meditative experience by allowing users to interact with dynamic waveforms, engaging with the beauty and unpredictability of the sea and evoking a connection to nature’s rhythms.
Plants: This part of the project is an abstract and non-linear exploration of the emotional and physical struggles faced by people with scoliosis, juxtaposed with the resilience of ferns thriving in harsh environments. The focus is not on a direct narrative but on an emotive and symbolic representation using objects, visuals, and AR to evoke empathy and reflection.
Fury/Form, 2025, Multimedia Performance
Clare Mcguffin
Fury/Form is a live performance and video piece that embodies the simmering, unrelenting force of female rage. Through movement, it traces the weight of oppression that has sought to define and confine women—shaped by the expectations, limitations, and visions imposed upon us. But rage is a catalyst. This piece transforms that fury into action and dance, breaking through the restraints, reclaiming space, and amplifying voices.
