Interrogating the Invisible by Ian Malcolm Clothier (Western Institute of Technology at Taranaki, New Zealand): In this project, the Leistavian Federal Bureau of Information is gathering statistics and information about how people identify with their culture. It is also interested to know whether there are any differences between people with one cultural identity and those with two. The information was collated and presented visually initially as part of a project for the 13th International Symposium on Electronic Art in San Jose, and then at other exhibitions. All information is strictly confidential.

Interrogating the Invisible is a project of the Federal Bureau of Information (FBI) of the District of Leistavia. The District of Leistavia is a hybrid cultural entity with formative influences of Pitcairn Island, Norfolk Island and Estonia. During ISEA 2004, voting toward a constitution was conducted, following which a constitution was created, a unique document clearly influenced by the formative cultures.

The use of the word invisible in the title of this project for ISEA 2006, is a reference to the invisibility of certain cultural groupings. For example, at ethnic festivals, many cultures celebrate their traditional roots. These traditions are celebrated by the wearing of traditional costumes and the performance of traditional dance and song. Traditional culture is highly visible on such occasions.

In contrast, hybrid cultures, which have cultural influences but often no fixed traditions of dance, song and costume are not easily distinguishable. If a person has New Zealand Maori and Scottish ancestry, or Mexican and Vietnamese for example, what sort of clothing or song is appropriate at ethnic festivals? On the one hand this is a difficult question but on the other, surely people with these cultural identifications exist, and are even proud of their heritage.

One aim of this project is to give people with multiple cultural identifications visibility. The works exhibited in San Jose directly examine the issue: what is the difference between those indicating one cultural identification and those indicating two? One answer is given by the still images presented in San Jose. An animation formatted for DVD has been created which shows the individual responses of participants, and provides a unique sequence of portraits of the cultural identification beliefs of those taking part.