William Rivera
May 11th, 2015
Hun 192
Essay 3
As a very harsh art critic, my expectations were high for the New Museum due to the heavy entrance fee. Nonetheless with much enthusiasm certain exhibits caught my attention and time. Above everything that was presented, Daniel Steegmann's Mangrané’s Oculus Rift piece “Phantom” (2015) and the Installation of Josh Kline's “Freedom” (2015) were the attractions that had me physically involved.
The virtual simulation setting of a Brazilian Amazon jungle that the oculus offered was captivating for many moments. Up until the moment when I tried the head device I didn't know what to expect because I had given hope on virtual reality a long time ago. Since my days of elementary school in the 90's I've fantasized of video games where the game would be more life-like, putting the gamer inside of the game. As I exited the 90's and entered the new millennium there was still no site of a genuine virtual reality experience at my disposal. Although computer generated graphics have improved dramatically. There were solid films based on virtual reality like The Wachowskis' iconic "The Matrix" (1999) completed with inspiring state of the art special effects (like the backwards bullet dodging scene!!) The cultural impact of this movie had made me lose faith in virtual reality ever coming within my reach in a playful manner, due to the policing nature of the virtual reality in this film, during a very surreal period of American history.
movie art culture has tagged virtual reality in having all assortments of possibilities. Preferred fantasy episode or even sexual intercourse simulation as seen in Marco Brambilla's Demolition Man (1993) have been artistically depicted in pop culture. Now that I have come into contact with an oculus device, I've been given first-hand insight on it's potential. During my virtual experience I wondered to myself "what can I do here?" I did as much as my limitation allowed me to do which was take a few steps and look around. Oculus is still in it's testing stage, I'm certain. However, I do know what I have seen in the movies is well in development.
On another side of the aesthetic emotion spectrum I felt cold chills while visiting the dark instillation, police state-like room constructed with extreme symbolism done with HD video playing and mannequins dressed in military/swat clothing, four in total. Each one having a LED screen display featuring actors portraying characters who have deep political concerns. The most unique and nightmarish feature would be the innocent creepy faces on the soldiers from the show "The Teletubbies" (1997-2001). A presidential address is occurring with Reggie Brown playing the role of Barack Obama.
This combination of new media, acting and sculptured police men come together to present a fourth dimensional representation of what can soon be a reality. With never ending media coverage of world freedom issues always on news specials, I feel this installation shows a militaristic policing I've seen at Times Square NY. I look forward to see further amalgams of art, politics and humanity.
word count: approx 530
Sources
http://hyperallergic.com/185373/the-new-museums-triennial-surrounds-the-audience-with-too-much-art/
Google
Very very good work here Will- and a very good (personal) description of how you see the potential of virtual reality based on films and now in art. Maybe a little more on the way the works you picked have a relationship to traditional genres (performance? sculpture?) but overall excellent work.
ReplyDelete