Michael Carter-Arlt
If you visit the Aga Khan Museum this summer, you’ll find yourself immersed in the world of Game On!, an exhibition exploring the global history and cultural impact of gaming. For Michael Carter-Arlt, a graduate of MDM Cohort 5.0, this exhibit is the latest chapter in a deep creative partnership with the institution. From UV-printed acrylic chess sets to intricate interactive puzzles, Michael’s work serves as the physical bridge that allows visitors to "play" through history - a strategic move timed to coincide with the influx of international tourists for FIFA 2026.
This collaboration has become a cornerstone of Michael’s professional practice, evolving from a research assistant role into a lead specialist position. Since 2019, he has been a vital force in translating complex cultural narratives into tangible experiences, lending his expertise to a steady stream of major exhibitions. His work began with developing extended reality (XR) interactions for a research project between the Aga Khan Museum and the TMU Libraries (2019) and has since spanned Remastered (2021), Afghanistan My Love (2022), the Rumi exhibition (2023), and the Al Burda Award exhibition (2025).
Before joining the MDM program, Michael’s career looked very different; he worked in the traditional printing industry managing magazine workflows. While stable, the work lacked the creative excitement he was looking for, leading him to the MDM program to explore digital media. This background in graphic communications proved invaluable during the Remastered project. Michael spent hours "flexing" his Photoshop and Illustrator skills to manually restore seven faded or damaged 15th-century folios, essentially redrawing history.
This process was as much about historical accuracy as it was technical skill. Michael recalls a specific moment redrawing a group of women where he had to consult a curator to ensure he correctly rendered a headscarf on an elderly figure that had faded from the original manuscript. "Consulting with experts in the field is always important," Michael notes, especially when representing a culture that is not your own.
Michael’s current mastery of immersive tech was born in the small, intimate electives of his second semester. He credits an AR/VR course with instructor Matt Marshall and a Physical Computing class with Jessica Field as the foundation for his entire professional practice. These lessons culminated in his Major Research Project (MRP), where he built an interactive learning tool for museums. By embedding RFID tags - the same technology used in credit card "tapping" - inside 3D-printed fossils, he created a system where physical objects triggered digital 3D models in Unity. He took this "deep dive" into interaction design on the road, presenting his work at the Ontario Science Centre and even to staff at the ROM.
Today, Michael’s journey has come full circle. As an Immersive Technology Specialist at the TMU Libraries Collaboratory and a Contract Lecturer for the MDM program, he sits at the intersection of "the library and the lab." He acts as the primary contact for Aga Khan Museum collaborations, facilitating connections between the museum and various campus hubs like Architecture and the Design & Technology Lab (DTL).
For Game On!, Michael emphasized that the high-level fabrication was a collaborative triumph. Led by DTL Director Jonathon Anderson and TMU staff Adrian Kenny, Mark Francis, and Arnel Espanol, Michael worked alongside a dedicated student team Ruslan Galimov, and Nina Rastgartalab Tabrizi, to bring the exhibit’s complex physical assets to life.
When looking back at his decade-long arc, Michael emphasizes that success in a rapidly shifting industry requires staying ahead of the curve, particularly as AI begins to expedite professional workflows. He urges students to treat the program as a launching pad for long-term professional relationships. "Networking is the biggest thing I tell students," Michael says. "If I didn't build my network here at TMU, I don't think I would have a job here right now."
Beyond technical skills, he highlights a sentiment shared by recently spotlighted fellow MDM alum Dawson Borland: the importance of self-assurance. He believes that even when faced with steep learning curves, the way a creator presents themselves is vital. "Having that confidence in yourself is super important," he explains, noting that the willingness to learn is often what provides the most professional momentum.
Reflecting on the journey from MDM to where he is today, Michael sums up his experience in three words: “Self-learning. Networking. Confidence.”
Connect with Michael on LinkedIn (external link)
Micheal's Portfolio (external link)
Game On! Exhibition (external link) at the Aga Khan Museum