2023
In collaboration with Eric Wang, Paul Wang, Kevin Wang, and Jasmine Zheng

“What is the relationship between accuracy and reality? Accuracy and virtual reality? Nowadays, virtual reality and artificial intelligence seek to replicate our world as accurately as possible. Our group sought to explore the limitations of technology in replicating scenes and environments we experience in real life. Through our journey, we’ve learned that these limitations or “flaws” in tech can also be used intentionally – similar to developing an artist’s voice or a unique painting style. These disruptions, distortions, misalignments, and misregistrations result in a sort of in-betweenness that captures both the familiarity of reality and the uncanniness of our virtual space. We especially focused on the motif of reflective surfaces as well as the use of color or light & shadows. We also play around with the symbolism of “portals” as routes of transformation. How does putting a VR headset on launch you into an alternate reality? Our initial exploration began with a study of the literal fragmentations that resulted from 3D scanning objects and people through reflective windows of varying transparencies – but has since progressed and manifested in playing with thematic and figurative fragmentation and distortion created in our virtual spaces. Whether you choose to embrace the “uncanny valley”ness of virtual reality or fully reject it – we want you to think about how your sensations and perceptions shift in a virtual reality space. As you walk around uncharted yet strangely familiar territories, make note of your senses. Explore each visual nuance. And see what happens if you walk through a portal…”