Joseph DeLappe is a media artist, activist, educator and cycling fanatic and gamer. Joseph DeLappe was first really known for his game activism. Gandhi’s March to Dandi was a recreation in Second Life of Gandhi’s 1930 march in protest of the British salt tax. For 24 days, DeLappe used a Nordic Trak Walkfit to walk the 248-mile length of Gandhi’s original march for 6 hours a days. His SL names are Joseph Grommet and MGandhi Chakrobarti. His steps were converted to his avatar, MGandhi Chakrabati, so he walked where his avatar walked. DeLappe chose the Gandhi character because he symbolizes strong, non-violent leadership.
MGandhi’s progress through SL was projected on a wall facing DeLappe. While on his march in SL, DeLappe was finding users to come along, giving them a digital gift explaining the project, and inviting them to walk with him. He refused to fly MGandhi unless he got stuck, and he teleported only occasionally. These limitations were a way of honoring Gandhi’s legendary trek but also resulted in interesting readings of the digital realm. DeLappe often bumped into “private zones” that took time to walk around. MGandhi would run into players, who accepted his gifts, engaged with him in a brief IM exchange, and also watched as DeLappe walked the avatar away. This played out in the Eyebeam gallery as well. During DeLappe’s frequent breaks to eat, rest, or handle technical issues, a few people walked up to the Nordic Trak and hopped on. I thought his work was excellent. He combined the MGandhi's project to his walking steps. He did this because he wanted to say something instead of just talking as a real person. DeLappe was making gaming an art form. Eventhough I thought this idea inventive and creative, this particular art form does not appeal to me. I thought he used Gandhi because Gandhi was a leader of India and political hero. DeLappe used him because he wanted to let people feel something about being a leader when they played his games.
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