Robot Remix XR
Robot Remix XR is a Virtual Reality exhibition at Sp[a]ce Gallery in Pasadena, California. It runs every weekend until September 8th. You can get tickets here.
Milo Talwani and I met working for the Sundance Institute New Frontier Programs. Milo is a musician and creative technologist, and I am a filmmaker and Virtual Reality creator. We are fascinated by virtual reality as a way to experience stories and other realities. Both of us are motivated to get fellow artists into headsets, so they can see what is possible in the medium, and start creating. We also want our “non-VR” friends to see how cool it is. See?! We aren’t crazy!
We were approached by Sp[a]ce gallery to curate an emerging technology show to run alongside a physical exhibition, Robot Remix, curated by illustrator Mark Todd, which incorporates mashup action figures, robot paintings, and kinetic art.
We decided this would be a great opportunity to work together and build the kind of exhibition we would love to attend — a combination of award-winning and high quality virtual reality experiences in a laid back, welcoming atmosphere, with enough trained staff to make you feel comfortable. We also wanted to try our hand at creating a family friendly line-up — the kind of show you could pop into with your friends or family on a weekend during a hot LA summer.
What makes great VR? When you know, you know.
The art pieces in the physical installation were our guide as we set out looking for XR experiences. We looked for pieces that fell under two categories: “Robot” (robots, pop culture, fantasy/sci-fi) and “Remix” (remix culture, mashup, collage — projects that play with reality, challenge your perceptions). It was a goal of ours to curate high quality, award-winning experiences. For our July line-up we are exhibiting:
- VIRTUAL VIRTUAL REALITY — Tender Claws
- INVASION! — Baobab Studios
- GLOOMY EYES — Jorge Tereso and Fernando Maldonado with Atlas V
- UNCEDED TERRITORIES — Paisley Smith and Lawrence Paul Yuxweluptun
- MICRO GIANTS — Yifu Zhou
- YOUR HANDS ARE FEET — Amelia Winger-Bearskin and Sarah Rothberg
I want to see EVERYTHING!
Film festivals and conferences have large audiences that pay a pretty price for a ticket to attend exclusive events. The names of these conferences and festivals are enough to create a sacred bond of trust between exhibitor and audience. There is a high caliber of work that is accepted. This means that audiences will attend your event, you will sell tickets, and audiences will trust you enough to go into your projects and tell their friends.
On the flip side, audiences have high expectations but seeing VR experiences can be competitive and require experience and a viewing strategy. The truth is, many people often leave disappointed in not seeing all of the projects they wanted to.
Milo and I really wanted to see if we could create a space for audiences to view each of the projects at the exhibition. There are so many reasons why viewing a variety of projects in an exhibition is important. As any visual arts show, when placed next to each other, the pieces speak to each other. The projects we chose to exhibit range from experiential games, to cinematic VR, to interactive art experiences. Each of these projects tells a story in a unique way — not just in terms of story, but how we touch, feel, and move through the story. For an audience member who has not yet become fluent in the language of virtual reality, experiencing this range of projects feels important. It also informs future creators on what is possible, and where there is room for innovation.
Perfecting the vibe
Another priority was creating a welcoming, fun, relaxed space. In order to achieve this (on top of designing a cheerful space) we need to limit our ticket sales per hour so that we control the number of people in the space. We want people to actually enjoy seeing virtual reality. When audiences have to race around, they don’t have any time for reflection. Personally, I like to do a little VR, chill out, take some space, then get back into it. Comfortable chairs are a must. Every person who enters the show must have access to a headset, and staff must be available to help get them set up and explain the VR they are getting into.
Hot, Fresh Challenges
With a comfortable viewing experience as our priority, new, hot, fresh, challenges are hurled at us. In an ideal world, we would sell all of our tickets at our desired price, and all would be perfect. Limiting our ticket sales means that in order to cover our costs (staff, technology and installation costs, artist and screening fees) and pay our artists for their work, we need to entirely sell out.
With Robot Remix XR, we hope to appeal to a VR-curious audience. One of our challenges is that this fresh audience does not know they want to attend our event until AFTER they get out of the headset. Once they see and experience the incredible VR work, they are sold, but up until that point they are not entirely sure this is something they are interested in. So spending money on a ticket to attend is a huge barrier. How do we communicate the magic of VR to audiences who don’t know they might like it?
We also have the added challenge of only being open on weekends, during a hot summer in Los Angeles. How do we let people know we are air-conditioned, family friendly, and a great place to beat the heat?
Where do we go from here?
Every weekend we get one step closer to solving these challenges. We get better at talking about the show to friends and potential attendees and we’ve played around with ticket prices and accessibility.
Once we figure out these details of exhibiting VR, it’s a gift that will keep on giving. It’s a show we could travel with and install around the world. We are both excited by the possibilities of where this show, and future XR shows, will go. We hope to democratize access to virtual reality for audiences, and inspire others to create and innovate in the emerging tech space. If we can do it, so can you!
Paisley Smith and Milo Talwani in
front of art by Tim Biskup at their exhibition “Robot Remix
XR”All photos by Jenn Lopez.
This piece is part of an issue of Immerse sponsored by the Knight Foundation in conjunction with Knight’s call for ideas to advance immersive arts experiences. Open for applications through August 12, the call offers recipients a share of $750,000 in funding, as well as optional technical support from Microsoft. Learn more.
Immerse is an initiative of the MIT Open DocLab and The Fledgling Fund, and it receives funding from Just Films | Ford Foundation and the MacArthur Foundation. IFP is our fiscal sponsor. Learn more here. We are committed to exploring and showcasing media projects that push the boundaries of media and tackle issues of social justice — and rely on friends like you to sustain ourselves and grow. Join us by making a gift today.