This is a presentation proposal to introduce the artistic and technical inspiration behind Momimsafe (https://momimsafe.live); a project that was my response to the covid-19 lockdown in Chicago. This work is a disarmingly simple use of technology to passively link distant spaces during a time of isolation and unpredictability. Along with a telepresence element, Momimsafe led to a number of satellite projects that emerged from it. In this presentation, I will be going over the DIY attitude and the open-source technologies used to put this work together. Consequently, I will be introducing other works like (covid-19) Antidote and Labor of Love that are an extension of the data collected with Momimsafe.

momimsafe.live ran as an active live-stream of my home studio space from March to August 2020, where I spent the majority of my time during the pandemic. It was developed in response to the covid-19 lockdown with an urgent need in mind; to be visually and physically accessible to all my friends and family globally; especially my mom, who has been concerned about my safety and health.

Along with personal surveillance, there was an element of telepresence that let visitors send me a message from the website. This was printed in real-time in my home studio space using a thermal printer. Over 600 messages have been collected with this project since its beginning. Over time, Momimsafe became an anchor of strength for me to cope up with the anxiety of isolation and a systemic breakdown of social structures around me.

Amay Kataria

Amay Kataria repurposes technology to create systems that are inspired by the state of “being” and “time”. In his creative acts, he combines philosophical research with the context of human situations to explore impermanence and the fleeting nature of time.
He utilizes the craft of code, algorithms, and computer-aided tools to create systemic metaphors about time and human empathy. His works take the form of time-based media installations, prints, or sculpture. He holds an MFA in Art & Technology Studies from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. He was the recipient of the media arts residency at Art Center Nabi in Seoul, South Korea and has exhibited at Vector Festival, CADAF, Electromuseum, Ars Electronica, Bronx Art Space, TIFA Studios, and
Experimental Sound Studio, among others. He is invited as an artist-in-residence at the Sandnes Komune in Norway in 2021.