The SXSW 2018 in Austin hosts Oculus Rift, where they shared their Oculus VR Visionaries on the project ‘A Colossal Wave!’ that’s an original creation of the team named Marshmallow Laser Feast. This project is being processed by Canadian creative teams such as Presstube, Dpt. and Headspace Studio.
‘A Colossal Wave!,’ being a large-scale interactive platform, is one of the five projects accepted into the Art Program of this year’s SXSW Conference. It is initiated by dropping a bowling ball from three stories up. Participants then ‘sing’ for populating an aquatic world with ‘voice fruit,’ as others stand under a VR Umbrella for the experience.
The Oculus team went through a questionnaire session with Robin McNicholas, Director, and Nell Whitley, Producer; of the team Marshmallow Laser Feast. They as well had Presstube artist James Paterson joining the session, which was concerned with the project’s surrealities. The project is basically cultured upon the impact of humanity on the environment.
The project began with the British Council Canada and Cultural Quarter of Montreal inviting the teams to create interactive public artwork. The invitation was a ‘gift’ to celebrate the 375th birthday of Montreal from the United Kingdom.
Paterson remembered how McNicholas described the VR idea: “So the user climbs to the top of a super high tower … and chucks a bowling ball off! The impact of the ball hitting the ground triggers a massive art tsunami that washes over a gaggle of expectant and semi-terrified Oculus Rift-clad spectators standing on the ground below.”
The immersive Oculus Medium and numerous VR creative tools have been incorporated into the subjective project. Medium’s nature of engagement for creators in VR surpassing the laws of physics was appreciated, as it provided openings to explore further creativity while going through the processes of the project.
Other discussed points included the challenges of AR and VR platforms and the impact of the same in the field of ‘art and play’ in the present as well future times. McNicholas pointed out towards iterative creation processes and R&D via VR creative development community for handling challenges and moving forward.
As for impact, he stated: “We feel VR and AR will increasingly embed into society in a similar way to web-enabled devices. The prospect of creating artistic layers for audiences to interact with on the move, at home, and at location-based experiences (LBEs) is hugely appealing.”
