Gisela De Castro is a Brazilian writer and publisher pursuing a PhD at the University of Waikato and is presenting two free events at the university during Techweek for anyone to attend.

“The VR exhibition in Techweek24 at the University of Waikato is part of my investigation of technologies; and to better understand how the audience can interact with this kind of content,” says Gisela.

“VR is amazing – reading needs introspective concentration.”

Gisela says her exhibition – named A Flight Over Aotearoa NZ – explores the creative processes to build an artistic work, approaching the intersection between geography and literature by remediating hand-written children’s letters about their regions to create an interactive video book on a digital platform.

“This innovative project can contribute to the emerging electronic literature field in Aotearoa.”

Gisela says the project aims to:

- Stimulate an epistolary production engaging students in reading and writing letters.

- Artistically propose an ‘affective map’ of the country.

- Provide children with the possibility of imagining maps, places and spaces.

- Children could put themselves on the map and say ‘We are here’.

“I have been a multi-artist, producer, partner, and artistic director of Zucca Books Publishing House and Zucca Produções since 2003.

“I graduated in Biological Sciences and got my master’s degree in creative media.”

To view an example of Gisela’s master’s project, please access the link: https://www.olivrodascapitais.com.br.

Following similar processes, she would like to build an interactive video book with the collaboration of students in Aotearoa about their NZ living regions.

“I would like to ask students: ‘If your region were a person, what would you say to her/him in the future’?”

Gisela encourages the students to explore their creativity and imagination by writing a short letter to their living region, envisioning the future of their place.

“The letters will be scanned and stored to build a digital platform with two parts: a time capsule (digital archive for memory purposes) and an interactive video book (digital book in the electronic literature field).

“In this case, the letters will be transformed from handwriting to digital media through a remediation process.

“It is important to highlight the originality and unedited characteristics of the project because as of the present moment, no published book containing letters written by NZ children has been found.

“I expect to receive letters from all regions in Aotearoa NZ to guarantee the representativeness of the diverse community in the country.

“The outcomes will be available on the project’s website for free.

“The inspiration for this PhD project came from the 1980s, in Australia, when students were invited to write letters to Queen Elizabeth II to form the book Letters to the Queen: from 100 Australian Children, compiled by Rachael Collinson in 1980.

“This book was created with the theme centred on the question “What ‘young Australia’ feels about Queen Elizabeth II?”, now I would like to know what 'young Aotearoa' feels about their country."

Contact Gisela by emailing afoa.nz.phd@gmail.com.