intimate-immensity

In 2019, as part of a collective, I explored overlapping presences in a mixed reality performance with the use of immersive video in Insider. I decided to expand the technical challenge towards virtual reality and started imagining an XR installation. This led to my conceptual research on Char Davies, embodiment in VR and the dialogue between virtual-real stimuli. The title Intimate Immensity was taken from The Poetics of Space by Gaston Bachelard. While reading this text, I found myself strongly moved by the poetic images of introspection as affected by different spaces and isolation. My experiences during the pandemic elevated my need to connect with the outside world. However, these times also showed me the importance of self-awareness and reflection. And while VR may often be used as an escape from reality, it can very well ground us in the present.

So, Intimate Immensity was born out of curiosity, isolation and anxiety: curiosity in the inherent physiological and psychological senses that create a sense of self and belonging in each of us; isolation caused by Covid-19 and anxiety caused by being torn between two places I like to call home.

In its first rendition, the outcome included a sculptural installation with a virtual environment built to scale – physical elements such as soil, a tree, scents and a mirror. The virtual environment consisted of corresponding elements as well as additional elements – text, real-time camera view, etc – which were created with an abstract, figurative aesthetic. I created the visual, virtual material primarily using MRI software. This was in connection to another project of mine (#jpeg2dicom) where I am exploring how to compress videos into 3D objects using MRI readers. In the context of Intimate Immensity, these visuals served as a muted reference to the corporeal inner world that exists within each one of us.