My goal with Immersive Space is to familiarize us with the vast potential of digital presence, discover novel opportunities within the medium's instability, and further establish standards for what is morally acceptable in this field.
Abstract
To smoothly transition into the new dimension of virtual reality, this gallery aims to (1) provide a comfortable experience with new technologies, (2) promote social interaction and connectedness, and (3) induce positive experiences.
Gallery Space
The gallery is divided into two distinct environments: outdoor and indoor. The exhibition begins in the alleyway between the Illustration Building and the Graphic Design Building. To access the indoor space, visitors are encouraged to enter from N Main Street and walk through a window that has been converted into an entrance. There are three sections: (1) Dynamic Material, (2) Constructing New Narratives, and (3) A Manual of the Virtual Realm. The first section is located outside, while the second and third sections are indoors.
Floorplan
Sign Design
Embodied Space Postcards
This collection represents embodied space, where human experience and consciousness take on material and spatial form. By adding embodied space, individuals become mobile spatial fields—existing in both space and time, or space-time—who create space as a potentiality for social relations, giving it meaning and form through the patterning of everyday movements. When creating these illustrations, I envision the user of AR/VR becoming the mobile spatial field, the participant, and the gatekeeper, who is in control of forming the space as a mental construct. I intend for this collection of postcards to be something that stays with visitors, as they can take some with them on their way out.
Digital Diary Experience
During the activity, visitors are encouraged to sit around the table and record their experiences in response to the questions displayed on the screen. Some of the questions include their thoughts on the relationship between public and private space and their feelings about advanced technologies. Visitors are welcome to share their experiences with others. At the end of the day, the responses will be compiled into a PDF that visitors can view. This document, with its yellow cover, is placed in the middle of the table. I hope this encourages visitors to take the time to engage with the topic and start conversations about their personal experiences with the medium.
A Manual of Virtual Realm
The contents of the A Manual of the Virtual Realm PDF are projected onto digital books, and visitors are encouraged to tap on the screen to flip to the next page. The book discusses ethical issues related to virtual realities and the need for further research in this field to prevent negative long-term effects. Because artificial reality blurs the line between the physical and virtual worlds, it is necessary to redefine how we interact with one another. For example, if a person is virtually assaulted, how should that violation be addressed and prosecuted?
Interoom
Interoom is a video that explores my question: What happens when augmented reality (AR) identifies an object not only by its material properties but also by embedding networking capabilities into it? More specifically, what happens when our rooms gain access to a network? For example, interacting with a table might provide access to all possible actions and information relevant to a situation: the table could order dinner for us or connect with other tables in the marketplace to compare personalized price ranges. Interacting with a tennis racket might offer links to previous matches, tutorials on how to play, and much more. Beyond implementing AR on smartphone cameras, the potential applications and uses of AR-networked objects are exponential.
Final Word
Many thanks to everyone who helped me along the way!
