Out Of Space

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BACKGROUND The contemporary renewal of interest in 'virtual reality' is dominated by libertarian digital capitalist rhetoric that paradoxically traps and isolates the user within predetermined limits of representation. Yet, digital art has a long history of practice and conceptual development in the field of virtual reality, a history that is largely dissimulated in the contemporary dialogue around virtual reality. This problem is actively explored by Jaron Lanier, Andrea Stevenson Won, Jeremy Bailenson and Judith Amores among others. What are the opportunities afforded to users and creators when working in a non-representational model of Virtual Reality? Is it possible to create abstract works that are cooperatively constructed in real time through the agency of the user playing with the work?

CONTRIBUTION Out of Space by Adam Nash is a playable abstract audiovisual virtual environment, using the Spacewalk system developed by Stefan Greuter. Immersed in an infinitely self-producing virtual space made of nothing but colour and sound, the visitor plays, flying and falling, creating little melodies and rhythms of sound and colour. Out of space, out of thin air, out of nothing, music and memories are made with virtual visions and vibrations. Out Of Space attempts to redress the lack of user agency found in commercial applications of Virtual Reality by dynamically mapping the physical movements of the user into virtual agency, allowing the user to move at will to create an audiovisual experience unique to that user. Play in its productive potential allows each interactor/artist to create a unique virtual work, unique to themselves and yet outside of themselves, in the world, virtually.

SIGNIFICANCE The quality of the work is attested to by its selection to be part of the 'Design and Play' exhibition at RMIT Design Hub. It was also exhibited at Nanyang Technological University Art and Design Gallery, Singapore in 2015 as part of the 'Everything Is Data' exhibition.