The New Art Exchange in Hyson Green held a virtual reality experience event on Thursday 27 February, with talks from several experts in the field about the future of VR technology.
Alfie Brown, Maria Chatzichristodoulou and Amelia Seren Roberts educated guests about the history of VR technology and the possible issues and ethics surrounding its use in the future.
Maria Chatzichristodoulou, who is a reader in performance and new media at London South Bank University, spoke specifically about immersion and the boundaries between created experience and real life.
She said: “The act of immersion is radical.”
“I think the most exciting thing about immersion is that we can take our bodies with us.”
Alfie Brown continued to intrigue listeners and introduced a conversation about virtual reality within gaming.
Alfie, whose work focuses on psychoanalysis and video games, said: “What’s very important is that we see how transformative these experiences are on us.”
“This radical immersion can also have a very concerning effect.”
“I think we should be excited, but also be suspicious about what is getting made and who’s funding it.”
The evening closed with a series of audience questions, with Nottingham Trent University lecturer Amelia Seren Roberts opening a discussion about violence within video games.
The virtual reality exhibition, Encroachments, will be open to the public at The New Art Exchange until Sunday 15 March.
By Jessica Goddard
Feature image credit: New Art Exchange