In 1996, As my Master’s thesis project in the Integrated Electronic Arts Program at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, New York, I created a satirical multimedia advertisement campaign for The Ethnimage® 5-Day Identity Plan, a fictitious self-help product that can change your ethnic and racial identity in only five days.
Presented in the format of a video infomercial and a live sales presentation, Ethnimage® questions the meaning of race, culture and ethnicity in the United States. The concept for Ethnimage® grew out of my desire to explore my own Dominican-American heritage.
In December of 1997, Ethnimage® was presented in front of Macy's department store at Crossgates Mall in Albany, NY. The performance included a live sales pitch, a raffle drawing, audience interviews, and the racial transformation of a live audience member!
Since 1996, Ethnimage® has been presented at film festivals, shopping malls and performance spaces in various cities, including "The Kitchen" in York City; The International Performance Art Festival in Cleveland, Ohio; Cine Latino Film Festival in San Francisco; and the Root '98 International Electronic Arts Festival in Hull, England.
Click on thumbnail images to see watch videos. You will need QuickTime Player to view the files.
