An artificial reality system is described that renders, presents, and controls user interface elements within an artificial reality environment, and performs actions in response to one or more detected gestures of the user. The artificial reality system includes an image capture device, a head-mounted display (HMD), a user interface (UI) engine, and a rendering engine. The head-mounted display (HMD) outputs artificial reality content, the artificial reality content including a display element that appears superimposed on and attached to an arm. The gesture detector identifies, from the image data, a gesture that includes a gripping motion of a hand with respect to the display element. The UI engine is configured to, in response to the identification of the gesture, (i) update the display element to appear detached from and separate from the arm, and (ii) generate a UI element that appears detached from the arm.