Project Hyperessay #2: VR³

“Polka dots can’t stay alone, like communicative life of people, two and three and more polka dots become movement. Our earth is only one polka dot among a million stars in the cosmos. Polka dots are a way to infinity. When we obliterate nature and our bodies with polka dots, we become part of the unity of our environment. I become part of the eternal, and we obliterate ourselves in love.” (Kusama’s Self-Obliteration, 1967)

 

Concept Development

When we talk about Yayoi Kusama or her polka dots, tons of things could be discussed. Based on my understanding in Kusama’s works, polka dots (coded in processing) is my previous sketches finished before the project. It could give us a hint of project concept in a 2D world.

These are some screenshots taken when it was running:

Fabulous

Obliteration

Eternity

 

Things could be much more interesting when we relocate ourselves into Virtual Reality (it is 3D!).  It gives us a strong feeling of ”presence” when we moved into VR world thanks to the technology that allows us interact with environment in a more intuitive and compelling way.

 

The approach to perform

I will live in virtual reality for 24 hours, to experience the connection between polka dots and things Kusama described: ”Fabulosity”, “Obliteration” and “Eternity”.  The process will be recorded and the designed content will be shared. And the expected result will have the audience  experience it as well by using VR headset.

 

 

VR WORLD ONE – FABULOSITY

The scene will be all about polka dots.
It might has these feelings :  Wonder; Excited; Joyful; Confused.

VR WORLD TWO – OBLITERATION

You could find yourself in some VR demos since it has ”your body”, like this:

Titans of Space

 Featured Titans of Space
But I also tried VR demos which provide only camera positions instead of ”your own body”. Like the room I built in Unity:

Screen Shot 2015-03-18 at 6.42.19 pm

Though it was a wired experience I had, it gave me a sense of ”disembodiment” that we discussed in lecture.
More to be updated…

 

VR WORLD THREE – ETERNITY

More to be updated…

 

 

Technical Realisation

This project is technically practical. Yes, it seems I am challanging myself in many ways! I am an absolutely beginner in building 3D content. I had a difficulty in setting lights etc. When I put the VR headset on my head, it seems I moved into a virtual room instantly, even it was just a draft and not enough detail.  However,  It blurred the boundaries between fiction and reality, it gave me an immersive feeling. It works!

 

More to be updated…

 

 

 

Author: Sheng Tao

An exchange student who likes Singapore

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