A Retrospective Perspective of the Digital Recreation of Mid-Century Subjects

Abstract

This article reflects on lessons learned and suggestions for future projects focused on using the tools of virtual heritage for the representation of the recent past. The earliest project that involved this combination of virtual heritage and “living history” was Shadows of Canaveral, a project based on oral history research with those involved in the Space Industry in Florida during the creation of a launch complex. More recently, the ChronoLeap project takes participants into the past to relive the 1964/1965 New York World’s Fair, and the ChronoPoints project attempts to recreate life inside mid-century structures including the Glass Bank in Cocoa Beach, Florida. The challenges and opportunities involved in this type of work result from the fact that those who are still alive can both contribute to the development of such projects and “talk back” regarding the representation of their history, lives, and culture. To that end, the article raises interesting questions about community participation, collaborat on, and negotiation in contexts in which those represented can answer back and offer critiques.