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Fata Morgana takes its name from the optical phenomenon in which distant objects—such as cities or buildings—appear as shimmering mirages in the sky. In this project, the term becomes a metaphor for the way dolls, once deeply embedded in our lives, gradually fade from our physical surroundings as time passes. Although these objects once accompanied us as intimate entities, their presence may be forgotten, diminished by scale, age, or distance. Yet in a digital form, they can reappear—much like mirages rising on a desert horizon, visible again despite their physical absence.

This project consists of two interconnected parts: a digital archive website and a physical screen-based interface. The website allows users to upload photographs of their dolls either anonymously or non-anonymously, attach names, and contribute them to a shared public archive. These online images are then transformed and transmitted to an offline screen, creating a bridge between virtual memory and tangible interaction.

The screen operates in three modes—normal, focus, and sleep—each designed to encourage different forms of engagement. Users can directly interact with the screen, and in focus mode, the device records time spent together, subtly reinforcing a sense of companionship. A physical button allows the user to initiate a small gesture: when pressed, the screen responds with a beep and the phrase “Hi!”, emphasizing a minimal yet emotionally charged exchange.

I developed this project from an ongoing reflection on how entities might persist within digital life, and whether digital systems offer a new form of continuity—or even a suggestion of eternity. Through acts of uploading, viewing, and interacting, Fata Morgana explores how digital reality reshapes memory, presence, and attachment, inviting viewers to question what it means for an object—or a companion—to continue existing beyond physical time and space.