Beginning tomorrow, artist Joseph DeLappe will begin reenacting Gandhi's 1930 240-mile Salt March on a treadmill inside New York's Eyebeam gallery—all of which will be reproduced in real time on Second Life. Yes, the self-parody is (kind of) deliberate. "I'm a spoiled American computer artist paying tribute to Gandhi's life and philosophy by taking on certain aspects of his march, like the walking," he says. "But at the same time, you know, I'm not going anywhere." Indeed. The inspiration came from DeLappe's last project, a series of virtual anti-war protests inside the America's Army video game that led one blogger to say he had a "Gandhi complex." Well, at least he's not wearing a dhoti, opting instead for "sweats, a white T-shirt, maybe, and either running shoes or Jesus sandals." Sounds like a whole new complex might be setting in.
Reenactment: Gandhi's March to Dandi—The Salt Satyagraha Online, tomorrow through April 6, Eyebeam, 540 W. 21st St., NYC, (212) 937-6580, eyebeam.org, saltmarchsecondlife.wordpress.com