The reanimation of iconic performers through holographic technology weaves together nostalgia, cutting-edge innovation, and profound moral complexities. At its core lies the interplay between legacy, memory, and the digital expansion of life - challenging traditional boundaries of live performance. The resurrection of artists like Elvis Presley, Amy Winehouse, and Whitney Houston via holographic shows raises questions about consent, authenticity, and the commercialization of artistic afterlives. This phenomenon compels a reevaluation of the ethics of creating digital immortality for the deceased. The technical marvels and ethical pitfalls of bringing performers back to the stage posthumously are examined by exploring the evolution of holographic stagecraft from Pepper's Ghost illusions to modern AI-driven projections. The cultural entrepreneurship motivating these digital resurrections illuminates a multibillion-dollar market for "Delebs”—commodifying the personas of dead celebrities. However, creating immortal digital simulacra raises concerns over exploitation, consent violations, and compromising artistic legacies. Navigating this landscape necessitates interdisciplinary collaboration between ethicists, legal experts, technologists, and cultural analysts. As humanity ventures into this new frontier, a conscientious approach ensuring dignity for the departed emerges as an ethical imperative amid the potential for commercial overreach and creative innovation. The capacity to trap deceased artists in a form of "digital purgatory" as "digital zombies" or "enslaved ghosts" is of concern—resurrected to perform perpetually without agency, beholden only to commercial interests. This raises fears of exploitation and a perverse negation of the human essence, compelling careful examination of ethical practices to preserve artistic integrity and autonomy in the digital afterlife.

Authors:
Justin Matthews, Auckland University of Technology, New Zealand
Angelique Nairn, Auckland University of Technology, New Zealand

About the Presenter(s)
Mr Justin Matthews is a University Associate Professor/Senior Lecturer at Auckland University of Technology in New Zealand

See this presentation on the full schedule – Saturday Schedule

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