“Reflexive-vr.com: Reconfiguring a physical VR exhibition into an online virtual exhibition due to the COVID-19 pandemic” presented by Bahng, Dziekan and McCormack

Symposium:

• ISEA2022: 27th International Symposium on Electronic Art
• More presentations from ISEA2022:  

• Full Papers Online Content

• Reflexive-vr.com: Reconfiguring a physical VR exhibition into an online virtual exhibition due to the COVID-19 pandemic

• Sojung Bahng
• Vince Dziekan
• Jon McCormack

• This paper reviews a virtual exhibition titled reflexive-vr.com. Initially planned as a public exhibition featuring cinematic VR works by media artist/filmmaker Sojung Bahng, however, due to restrictions imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic, a different curatorial approach was needed in order to reconfigure the original installation plan into an interactive online viewing experience. This reflective analysis explores the design strategies involved in this case and how the viewing experiences associated with the artistic intent of three VR artworks (Floating Walk, Anonymous and Sleeping Eyes) was supported by the exhibition’s translation from a gallery-based installation into an online virtual environment. We will address technical specifications, consider curatorial strategy and implications to narrative flow and phenomenological experience, and – while acknowledging present limitations – raise the potential for online exhibition formats to serve as a distinctive presentational mode in their own right for engaging viewers with VR works.

Project Website:

• http://reflexive-vr.com/

Keywords:

• Virtual Reality
• Viewing experience
• Virtual exhibition
• Curatorial Design
• scenography

Category:

• Long Paper
• Paper