SUB9 is a virtually real world that was created over a period of more than six or seven days, potentially the time it took to create the actual physical world. Our virtually real world was developed during the spring semester of 2022 at the Academy of Fine Arts and Design (ALUO) in collaboration with Reeba XR / Imago Urbee as part of an elective course on interactive design, led by assistant Martin Petrič. The project involved the participation of Vita Tušek, Vita Rau, Lina Piškur, Lana Soklič, Iza Ambrožič Simončič, Marie Solange Antonić, Lara Skukan, Rok Černezel, and Tine Lisjak. The conceptual project partially responds to the epidemiological times we have experienced in recent years, while also following the exponential technological progress, particularly in the field of virtual reality, which, especially with the launch of the Metaverse, has significantly entered the realm of everyday life.
In the past two years, attending cultural events such as concerts, theater and cinema performances, and exhibitions (both artistic and otherwise) has been virtually unimaginable and, above all, impossible. Therefore, the use of virtual reality seemed like a unique opportunity to surpass such limitations. SUB9 is a virtually real world where artistic and design works created by students are exhibited, and the viewer has the ability to immerse themselves in these works through modern and increasingly accessible technology. Using Oculus Quest goggles, the viewer or visitor can enter a digitally created space and navigate through it using “shots” triggered by a digital controller held in their hand. Initially, they find themselves in a buzzing park with holes appearing on the ground, through which they can fall and immerse themselves in various projects tailored for this experience by the students. They can fall into one of the projects, which, combined with others, form an underground complex of caves or rooms. They can explore various content created by students from different study programs at ALUO (such as restoration, photography, graphic design, industrial design, unique design, etc.). For example, they can start with “Degradation” by Iza Ambrožič Simončič, which portrays soil degradation as a result of human influence, particularly agriculture. It also represents the decay of the physical world that occurs visually when we enter virtual reality. Perhaps this is a suitable beginning. Another type of reality within the virtual reality is presented, such as a fragment from the Church of the Assumption of Mary, which was located on the southern wall of the church on Bled Island. It was part of a wall painting that was destroyed in the past. It depicts an angel with crossed hands over the heart. A conservation-restoration intervention was carried out, which included the gluing of fragments onto new supports. The final presentation of the largest fragment is showcased, and the work is signed by Lara Skukan. The viewer can then get lost in Vita Rau’s Labyrinth and see “Valibri,” which is a portable expandable partition wall that provides distancing in public spaces while also allowing privacy in domestic spaces. The partition wall can be adjusted to different openings and installed on various surfaces. The project is presented in a labyrinth of mirrors, and the partition walls are used as doors between the corridors. After finding a way out of the labyrinth, the viewer can take a few moments for self-reflection and explore Marie Solange Antonić’s project called “Moment of Existence,” which represents the uniqueness of the loud silence of our human existence. It explores silence, motionlessness, and the degradation of the suppressed world around us. It is a place of short-lived transient world. If the viewer desires something more invigorating at this point, they can proceed to Tine Lisjak’s project called “Flooded.” Tine humorously approaches the response to tragic situations. He presents a survival costume for floods that helps the user stay above the water level and possibly even relax and have fun during a flood situation. Banal. But if the viewer appreciates the banal, they can also explore Vita Tušek’s project called “Roge.” In this project, Vita deals with the discomfort she wants to inflict on the viewer. Feet carry the stigma of something disgusting and unpleasant, yet they are often fetishized. On the other hand (and on the other side), we do not usually attribute these qualities to hands. In the project, she combines these two extremities and creates something new – “roge.” Whether the image is pleasant or not depends on the viewer. If, after viewing “roge,” the viewer remains somewhat paralyzed, but enjoys that pathos, they can also explore Lana Soklič’s project called “Incubus.” In the past, people believed that sleep paralysis was caused by a sleep demon called Incubus. The name comes from the old Latin word “incubo,” which means a nightmare caused by an Incubus and is derived from the word “incubare,” which means to lie on. For centuries, Incubus haunted sleeping women and inspired stories in both traditional folklore and artistic works. In her work, Lana depicted her own experiences of sleep paralysis. She staged her memories hidden somewhere between dreams and wakefulness. And to fully wake up, the viewer can visit the reimagined Kardelj Square by Lina Piškur. The conceptual redesign of the urban space offers visitors a connection with nature, physical activity, mental relaxation, and leisure time spent with family and friends, providing an excellent conclusion to the virtual reality exhibition experience. Before the viewer definitively leaves this world, they can take one last look and perhaps listen once again to the digitally generated voice expressing the words of Rok Černezel, the main architect of this virtual reality space. Rok immersed himself in studying and researching the laws of virtual reality and independently created, planned, and designed the basic structure of the entire exhibition. This greatly helped Reeba XR / Imago Urbee in the final integration and establishment of the actual and functional virtual reality experience.
Thank you for the virtual tour!
UL ALUO 2022