A new virtual reality (VR) project presented at The Capitol is exploring and confronting the intersection of technology and the human body.

Traditional virtual reality (VR) has encouraged us to explore beyond the physical body, within new spaces or fantasy worlds with infinite possibilities.

But some unintended physical side effects induced by VR — nausea, motion sickness — have made it impossible to leave the idea of the body fully behind.

Meatspace, an experimental art project produced by Senior Lecturer in the School of Art Dr Ian Haig and supported by RMIT University and the City of Melbourne Arts Grants program, explores ideas around ‘meatspace’ — a term coined in the 1990s for the physical world as opposed to cyberspace.

Presented at a free drop-in event in The Salon at The Capitol, users will stand on a custom-made mat while wearing an Oculus Rift VR headset, both fabricated with silicon meat, and move through a series of virtual ‘meat rooms.’

Direction, production, animation: Ian Haig
Sound design: Darrin Verhagen & Angelina Crutchfield
Programming: Patrick McMahon

Facebook event

Image: Ian Haig