For Exo Magazine
Virtual reality is a growing medium which gives non-traditional artists a technological playground on which to practice and showcase their art. In an industry that can be frustratingly elitist and restrictive, it’s refreshing to see new art forms emerge and talented artists rise alongside them. Note to Hetty Douglas & Co, this is how you make art which breaks boundaries without excluding viewers. Though I am certain we will be seeing plenty more virtual art in galleries in years to come, there is still an element of excitement and buzz around the world of virtual reality, so I was honoured when Exo was invited to get a first glance at some renowned visual art at Enter Through the Headset, the second installment of a virtual reality experience at the West End’s Gazelli Art House.
Enter Through The Headset is a group exhibition featuring work from Rebecca Allen, Iain Nicholls, Gibson/Martelli, Jocelyn Anquetil and Charles Harrop-Griffith. The exhibition is compiled of five interactive artworks, accessible through an immersive headset which exports the user from a gallery in London to a number of interactive and enveloping visual scenarios, each created by a different innovative virtual artist. All five VR experiences were intricate and interesting attempts at blurring the lines between real and augmented reality, a crossover that Gazelli Art House has been nurturing for years now.
‘The Old Mine’ Iain Nicholls
The first piece I viewed was ‘The Old Mine’ by Iain Nicholls. Narrated by poet Ian McMillan, this was by far the most interactive piece in the exhibition, as the user had control over their movements and could modulate the pace of the experience. Though this installation was tightly based on a historical landscape, the educational nature of the piece didn’t hinder the eerie and exciting feel throughout the expedition through the Hemingfield Mine. This was due to Nicholls ingenious manipulation of light and sound throughout the piece, each virtual corner of the mine offering something to the senses. After speaking with Nicholls himself, it became clear that this attention to detail was a direct cause of his lengthy research process, as he wanted to do justice to this landmark of his hometown in South Yorkshire.
Nicholls studied painting at the Chelsea School of Art and the Royal College of Art, is a member of the Royal Watercolour Society, and shows all the characteristics of a traditional canvas artist. However when you combine this with the knowledge of Nichols’ pre-artist career as a graphics creator and game designer at SEGA, creating parallel realities through VR seems like logical and linear career progression for an innovative artist such as himself.
My second virtual reality experience was ‘MAN A VR’ courtesy of Ruth Gibson and Bruno Martelli, who make up British electronic arts group Gibson/Martelli. Between them they have a multitude of worldwide arts commissions and awards including a prestigious Lumen Prize and even a BAFTA nomination, so it was no surprise that their offering to the Enter Through The Headset exhibition was a beautifully stimulating and dreamlike experience.
‘MAN A VR’ Gibson/Martelli
MAN A VR is a playful exploration of movement and figure, whilst still touching on more introspective themes such as isolation and otherness. This piece consisted of a number of different visual landscapes featuring black and white geometric figures which would dance and move around the user, almost giving the sense of being privy to something you weren’t meant to attend. The fusion of video game style graphics and artistic sceneries makes being a visitor in Gibson/Martellis virtual world a true pleasure.
You can view these two pieces alongside three other virtual reality artworks until September 30th, and find out more about the exhibition and each artist here:
http://gazelliarthouse.com/exhibition/virtual-reality-exhibition-enter-headset-2/
words by sophia aurora 