Marc Owens develops analytical projects, addressing issues of identity and ethics. His ideas span a diverse range of themes, exploring contemporary topics that enable us to engage with abstract concepts in a tangible and relevant way.
Marc acknowledges that the virtual communities created by online games have formed a new medium for social interaction and communication. Using this as a starting point, Marc has explored the convergence of the real world and the virtual, creating the Avatar Machine. This began as a research-based project at the Royal College of Art and has since been developed for exhibition and upgraded for the Design Museum, providing the visitor the opportunity to view themselves as a virtual character.
The Avatar Machine replicates the aesthetics and visuals of a third person game using a head-mounted interface, which gives the sense of the user controlling the character. A series of costumes have been designed and made using a machined-scored polypropylene process. These are assembled to form triangular three-dimensional structures, referencing the relative low-resolution graphics in computer games. The combination of the costumes and the camera technology works in tandem to create an immersive and unique experience for the user.
Marc Owens graduated from the University of Brighton in 2004 with a BA Three-Dimensional Design. He then completed an MA in Design Products at the Royal College of Art in London, 2008. He currently works on various creative projects both individually and as part of the creative collective Propwork, and has participated at the V&A Village Fête, as well as exhibiting at LABoral Centro de Arte, Spain.