Star Wars Identities: Go on your own Star Wars hero's journey

Lucasfilm has officially unveiled what Star Wars Identities is and I don't think any of our speculation was correct.

Star Wars Identities is going to be an art exhibition, but this isn't your Father's art exhibition.  This sounds like a Choose Your Own Adventure novel on a wicked Kessel Spice trip.  You can watch a really cool Rorschach test like video where each Star Wars image morphs into others on the Star Wars Identities website.

The Exhibition will begin April 19, 2012 and will run until September 16, 2012 in Montreal, Canada. Adult tickets are going to be $23 (Canadian Dollars).  It looks like the exhibit will move to other locations after its run in Montreal is up, but no announcement on potential other locations has been made yet. 

A complete description of the event is available on the Montreal Science Centre's website:

What forces shape you?

How did Luke and Anakin, who share the same genes and grew up on the same planet, become such different people? Don't miss the world premiere of this unique travelling exhibition, which looks at the characters of Star Wars™—and you—in an exciting new way.

• A vast collection of Star Wars props, costumes, models, and artwork from the Lucasfilm Archives, including iconic items like Darth Vader’s costume, the Millennium Falcon model, and Anakin’s full-sized Podracer.
• An insightful investigation into the sciences of identity, developed by the Montréal Science Centre and a committee of scientific advisers, shedding light on what can make fictional characters who they are and what makes you you.
• An interactive Identity Quest inviting you to create your own unique and personalized Star Wars hero.
• Behind the scenes insight into the creation of the characters of Star Wars and fun facts from the movie-making process.

Want more information you do?  The company behind the exhibition X3 Production provides even more details about this traveling exhibition.

 

CONTENT:

STAR WARS™ Identities explores the theme of identity using ten components: species, genes, parents, culture, mentors, friends, events, occupation, personality, and values.
These ten components are grouped into the exhibition’s three main sections, which follow the evolution of identity from childhood to adulthood: first Origins, then Influences, and finally Choices. This thematic backbone gives structure not only to the educational content of the exhibition but to the Star Wars collection as well.

From a scientific perspective, visitors learn how these components affect identity. Ten videos, one per component, combine clips from Star Wars with animated graphics explaining how each component affects who we are, “we” in this case referring simultaneously to the fictional characters of the Star Wars universe and to the visitors themselves. These videos were developed in collaboration with the Montreal Science Centre and a team of experts practicing in a variety of scientific fields, including genetics, neuropsychology, health sciences, and psychology.

The stunning collection of some 200 props, costumes, models, and pieces of artwork from the making of the films and animated series is integrated seamlessly into the structure provided by these ten components. Carefully selected from the Lucasfilm Archives, each object offers a deeper understanding of the identities of the characters of Star Wars and is accompanied by behind-the-scenes information sure to delight fans of the films and visitors interested in the movie-making process.

ENVIRONMENT:

Spanning over 1000 square metres, this touring exhibition uses state-of-the-art technology to transform the museum experience into an interactive, multimedia adventure.

Two types of technology allow for an immersive and innovative experience. First, visitors are each equipped with a hands-free audioguide. Using infrared technology, the guide gives visitors personalized access to all of the exhibition’s audio-visual content in the language of their choice.

The second technological element is an RFID bracelet which tracks visitors’ progress as they complete the different stations of the Quest. This information allows the visitor to create his or her own Star Wars hero and then to visualize the results in the exhibition’s conclusion. The results can then be sent to the visitor via e-mail, at which point they can be shared through social media platforms.

The interactive Identity Quest sounds simply amazing.  In designing the exhibit they consulted with experts in the fields of Neuropsychology, psychology, biochemistry, social psychology, occupational therapy and education.  I am either going to have to book a ticket to my old stomping grounds in the lovely city of Montreal, or I am going to have to pray the exhibit comes to the San Diego area. 

SOURCES: StarWarsIdentities.com, X3 Productions, and  MontrealScienceCentre.com