Aspen the Verb: Musings on Heritage and Virtuality
Michael Naimark · PRESENCE Virtual and Augmented Reality · 2006
Aspen, the picturesque mountain town in Colorado, is known for two processes, or “verbs,” relating to heritage and virtuality. One is to “moviemap,” the process of rigorously filming path and turn sequences to simulate interactive travel and to use as a spatial interface for a multimedia database. The other is to “Aspenize,” the process by which a fragile cultural ecosystem is disrupted by tourism and growth. This essay reflects on their significance and describes exemplary work integrating these two seemingly disparate concepts.