Hall of Mirrors, Versailles. It doesn't get more irreal than this.
Why "Simulacra"? It is a Latin word (the plural for simulacrum) that means "similarities" or "likenesses." It is also a concept used by philosopher and theorist Jean Baudrillard, who claimed that reality as we knew it no longer exists. He argued that because we deal so much now in simulation - in simulacra - we no longer have any boundaries between what is "real" and what is merely "representative." Mass communication, the internet, and mass produced goods and needs have erased those boundaries.
This blog title is meant to be playful - here is a simulation of my life: of making, traveling, and eating. It is a simulation of my presence for friends and family who are far away. It is a representation of me to those coming by for a visit who have never met me before. I do exist. I do work with my hands and walk with my feet (and never the other way around!). Whatever Baudrillard may say (although I agree with him on many counts), this blog affirms those tactile realities.
