Shared Space
Augmented Reality installation by Dröm
Proposal for CURRENTS 2024
Introduction
Shared Space offers the viewer a poetic multisensory experience pushing the understanding of reality in a world driven by technology while diving into themes of movement and transformation.
Despcription
Four devices, placed on stands around a square filled with soil, act as portals to four different augmented realities occupying the same space. In each reality, surrealistic manipulated 3D renders of physical stones serve as subjects.
Animated and programmed to move repeatedly in slightly ever-changing formations and rhythms, along with manipulated sounds from speakers placed in relation to each device and side of the square, affirming each reality as the viewer moves around the square while blending together as a whole, adding to the sense of simultaneous presence of each reality.
The limited window of view offered from the device placed on the stand encourages the viewer to interact with the work by taking up the device to explore more freely.
The soil serves as a link to the digital stones, introducing an additional layer of sensory experience that bridges the gap between the two materialities.
Background and inspiration
Born from an exploration of augmented reality and a fascination with cognitive science, my art installation centers on stones as metaphors for our limited perception of the world. These everyday objects, perceived as static despite their transformative cycles, mirror the inertia of our brains in the face of rapid technological advancements.
Augmented reality becomes a tool to manipulate scientific truths, akin to foley artists creating substitutes for imperceptible sounds. I use technology to bridge the gap between abstract scientific facts and tangible, dreamlike experiences, challenging our cognitive limitations.
Incorporating multiple realities and screens, the installation reflects the profound impact of technology on perception, paralleling our struggle to grasp its implications. Stones, chosen for their material qualities, symbolize anchors to the past and holders of messages for the future, while animations amplify the dialogue between the natural and artificial.
The surrealistic aspect pays homage to the brain's dream process, a mysterious realm where memories collide, echoing the profound gaps in our understanding. Through this condensed narrative, the installation invites viewers to contemplate the intricate interplay between reality, imagination, and the evolving landscape of technology.
