What if technology could help us transcend the limits of our own brains and bodies, and connect us to the experiences of other living beings? That’s precisely what artist Barnaby Steel and his studio Marshmallow Laser Feast invite you to do through their multisensory installations and virtual reality interfaces.

For Episode 2 of the Culture and Technology Podcast, Eva Fischer, curator and initiator of CIVA Vienna’s new media art festival, talks to Barney about how VR can help us to reconnect with the world beyond our filter bubbles.

GUESTS

Eva Fischer is an independent curator, cultural manager and lecturer. She’s also the initiator of CIVA, Vienna’s new media art festival, and has been curating and teaching immersive art and experimental media for the past 15 years. evafischerav.co

Barnaby Steel is a London-based artist who creates immersive virtual experiences. As a co-founder of Marshmallow Laser Feast, Barney and his team are one of the world’s leading art collectives that explore our connection with the natural world through extended reality experiences. instagram.com/barnaby.steel

HOST

Severin Matusek is a writer, producer and editor who has spent the last decade researching how technology transforms culture, communities and society.

IDEAS AND PEOPLE IN CONTEXT

Marshmallow Laser Feast is a London art collective connecting people to the natural world and challenging the notion of individual perception via multi-sensory immersive installations that combine projections, performances, and VR experiences. Notable works include We Live in an Ocean of Air (2018) and Tree Hugger (2019). marshmallowlaserfeast.com

Forward Festival is a series of events and a platform for creativity, design, and communication. The next iteration, scheduled to be held in Vienna on 7-8 October 2021, brings into focus the digitalisation of the creative scene, questioning the boundaries of the so-called ‘new normal’. forward-festival.com

Contemporary Immersive Virtual Art (CIVA)’s inaugural edition debuted virtually (on Discord, Mozilla Hubs and social media) over nine days in late February 2021 under the banner “Social Distancing – Virtual Bonding” in exploration of the possibilities of virtual ties within a context of physical distance. CIVA was co-curated by Eva Fischer and supported by Vienna Business Agency. civa.at

Rupert Spira is an English spiritual teacher, author, and potter known for his Non-Duality philosophy and “direct path” method of self-enquiry. non-duality. rupertspira.com

Mozilla Hubs, VRChat, Virbela are all forms of virtual spaces or worlds that allow people to connect remotely, chat, play games, and hang out. For more on how these platforms are reframing our understanding of spatial experiences, keep an ear out for Episode 6 of this podcast, where two architects and curators deep dive into the ever-blurring virtual-physical divide. hubs.mozilla.com, virbela.com, hello.vrchat.com

TRANSCRIPT

Click here to download the full transcript of the conversation as PDF.

CREDITS

The Vienna Business Agency supports businesses, the economy and the city in developing the Austrian capital’s creative industries and shaping its future trajectory. viennabusinessagency.at

Editorial Team: Paul Feigelfeld, Anna Dorothea Ker, Severin Matusek, Elisabeth Noever-Ginthör, Elisa Stockinger, Heinz Wolf.

Theme Music by Zanshin.

The topics of the Culture & Technology Podcast will be further discussed at the Creative Days Vienna 2021 - part of Vienna UP'21