It’s a small room, maybe only eight feet squared, and dimly lit. The floor has an intricate carpet and the walls are red curtains. I sit in a swiveling chair, looking at an empty seat in the corner. I put a Gear VR on and see a 360-degree video of the same small room, but now the chair is filled with a woman who begins to frantically explain a terrible dream she has been having.
The 5-minute VR/performance experience that follows is one of the most unique I have ever had.
This experience was had a few weeks ago at Samsung 837, the company’s night club/ demo space in New York City. Without spoiling it for future audience members, a performance was involved, and Samsung partnered with Punchdrunk International, the troupe behind Sleep No More, the experiential re-imagining of Macbeth that has been performed in NYC for more than five years. A card handed to me afterward had the hashtag “belieVe youR eyes” and so, for lack of a better choice, I will call the piece by that name.
This creation from Samsung and Punchdrunk has gone largely under the radar, except for some social media by Punchdrunk themselves. It’s a shame, as this “VR encounter” should be seen by those curious about how VR can do more in the art space. And though its run at 837 is now over, it may pop up elsewhere. But despite its current hiatus, it is worth examining Believe Your Eyes for one important reason: it is the future.
Read the full article at Upload VR.
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