Cristela’s Shadow
Image from Cristela’s Shadow.
Cristela’s Shadow is a three-part installation in virtual reality and a physical space that explores personal memories through 3D, video projections and photographic media. The work builds upon themes of memory, perception and trauma as viewers encounter the cathartic experience of losing a loved one. Employing an autoethnographic methodology, the work delves into the complexities of trauma, utilizing imaginal exposure techniques to explore its transformative potential for healing through art.
Saul Villegas is an interdisciplinary artist and researcher whose work focuses on the exploration of scientific taxonomies, digital art and new media. His work in the OpenLab Collaborative Research Center and the Venom Lab at University of California, Santa Cruz (UCSC) merge art and science to develop interactive artworks focused on the environment and reimagining of archives through storytelling. He has exhibited his mixed media works online featuring deep-sea coral specimens in an online festival with New Art City’s Memory Card (2023). Last summer he engaged in a flagship residency program with EmergeNYC (Brooklyn’s Art Exchange) through E.A.R.T.H. Lab SF, where he developed the character of The Sun. Saul was born and raised in Avenal, California. He works between Santa Cruz and the Central Valley while completing his MFA degree in Digital Arts and New Media (DANM) at UCSC.
Archived Poster Image from Cristela’s Shadow.
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