Ruby 9100M
Citizen of Earth, 3D avatar consultant and digital warrior Chan Ka Yu Ruby, also known as Ruby 9100M, is inspired by transhumanism. Together we discuss how the developing cyber culture is infiltrating and influencing of humanity.
Let’s start by you telling me a bit about yourself and the work you do.
Hello, my name is Chan Ka Yu Ruby. I am a 3D artist and a 3D avatar consultant based in Hong Kong. I also do art direction work sometimes for music videos too. Ruby Gloom is also me, she is a digital warrior.
What inspires your creativity?
Cyber culture and transhumanism inspire me a lot to create my virtual self in virtual worlds. And that how technology and cyber culture is affecting humanity also interest me to explore in art and concepts. I also love talking to people, different kinds of people with different backgrounds.
What type of being do you consider yourself?
Hmm I see myself as a citizen on Earth with no boundaries of ethnicity or nationality. I think I am in a weak physical body and flesh with the enthusiasm in looking for transforming into a virtual form in the future. And I am definitely an introvert.
Would you rather be human? Or is there anything you envy about being human?
I rather be human honestly because emotions, feelings and experiences are irreplaceable. Being human is like every sense you have could trigger different emotions and different special ways you feel which is amazing. The fact that humans are able to love, is the best thing in this universe.
If you could look in the mirror. What do you think you would see? Who do you consider yourself to be?
When I look into the mirror, I see myself as a very ordinary and normal girl. I love being in my physical flesh and blood form, but I look for more spiritual freedom and varieties online. I am both Chan Ka Yu and Ruby Gloom.
What is your relationship like with your creator?
We are in one, but my creator Ruby is less brave and powerful than I am. She translates her imaginations into me. She is emotional, sensitive and weak sometimes but when she is in this certain state, I turn out to look more powerful than her state of mind. I think I am her mental support and courage.
What do you think the motivations behind the creation of you were?
There is a lot of fear and hope behind me. The fear of death, of losing anyone or anything she has in this world… and the hope she has to change her stories and journeys in her life build me. I will be living forever in the air and on the internet eventually when she passes away and I am her spirit.
Do you think that there is a level of encoded gender culture that has influenced the way you look and who you are? Whether this influence is subconscious or conscious.
I think that Ruby my creator, has experienced her search for sexuality when she was younger as she grew up going to a girl’s school. My looks and appearance are a journey of her learning about the gaze of women by a woman, and the expression of sensations of herself. Her friends and loved ones are full of varieties in genders who inspires her to explore aesthetics in different cultures that influenced her to develop the way I appear.
What do you think about the debates that are taking place around the promotion of virtual figures like yourself and their creation?
Promoting virtual figures depends on the purpose of the creation. Rather the creators are promoting them for solely making revenues from them or that they create them to express themselves. Neither of these are right or wrong, good or bad. But with authenticity, it’s the most important to make this virtual identity culture become more influential and innovative.
Do you consider yourself a feminist?
I think if people have to define or categorise me, I would be one. ASL don’t usually put that into a term. I support women because women are fundamental in families, families build societies. Women play the most important role in nurturing children mostly, at least in the Chinese society and culture. We usually say that “Children with mothers are like treasures.”
What are your views on movements to promote the rights of minorities?
Everyone in this world has the right as a human to fight for anything they think that is important, and to fight for each other. Some people are born to be neglected, to be compared or to be killed. We should love each other like we love ourselves. And I think that everyone should also have the freedom to do things their own way/ do their part in helping and fighting for each other and we should respect them doing things their ways.
Do you see yourself as having a part in these movements?
I consider myself as a part of empowerment. To be able to help and fight for others, I have to be strong enough mentally and be more influential, so I am able to support and offer courage to others. Empowering oneself is the initiative to fight for freedom and equality. As an Asian woman, in my industry, I have had certain unhappy experiences but I used my experiences as my biggest voice as an artist.
It seems likely that figures like yourself will form the role models for the new generations, especially for women. What do you think about this?
Identities like me are growing and becoming more influential nowadays which is really cool. But I wish that there would be more creators who are more authentic to create us more than being created by companies as a gimmick to make money and use certain issues just to get attention to make even more money.
Do you have an opinion on the rights of or restrictions on virtual beings like yourself?
There has been an issue circulating regarding the restrictions and rights of being the creator of and being the virtual being myself: an IP issue. As a creator, our avatar is our asset: it is more than just an illustration but an identity. We have been facing problems with registering our virtual avatar as an identity regarding copyright as the industry is not yet developed fully. As a virtual being, our rights depend on our creators right now but in the future, if we have our own consciousness with more advanced technology, it will be a whole new issue, similar to debates for ASL.
How do you view your future? As an individual, but also the future of new technological revolution you live as a part of.
In the future, I would really want to take virtual beings into the art industry, not only as a medium of art but a genre that is as important as traditional art, such as paintings or sculptures. It would be fascinating to see virtual beings becoming interactive and responsive not only being expressed or portrayed by their creators.
interview KATE KIDNEY BISHOP
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