Exploring Touch: DYSPLA_Touch and Its Impact on Art Experience
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Chapter 1: The Essence of Touch in Art
Touch represents an extension of our sensory perception.
This essay delves into the innovative XR experience titled DYSPLA_Touch, crafted by artists Lennie Varvarides and Kazimir Bielecki. Utilizing volumetric capture technology, ASMR Performance Poetry, and Human Haptics, this work seeks to illustrate how self-touch can shape narrative.
Our hands can unveil experiences that are often overlooked. DYSPLA_Touch comprises 12 short films, each spanning 3 to 9 minutes, depicting various aspects of a neurodivergent woman's relationship with touch. These films serve as poetic experiments, inviting audience participation through specific self-touch instructions that must be enacted while donning a VR headset.
Through these directives, viewers are encouraged to physically immerse themselves in the protagonist's narrative, fostering a unique empathetic connection. While a complete viewing of all 12 films would total over 108 minutes, the creators anticipate that most viewers will prefer to select just one film from a menu provided in the VR environment.
The DYSPLA team has constructed an XR experience that transcends visual reliance. The VR environment is intentionally stark, blurry, and repetitive, allowing for engagement with the content even with closed eyes. This design offers an experience akin to limited sight, enhancing the audience's capacity for empathy.
What is Volumetric Capture?
Volumetric capture involves technology that measures the spatial depth around an actor or object, converting this data into intricate 3D images, referred to as "point clouds." This technique, akin to advanced holography, has evolved since Dr. Dennis Gabor's invention in 1948.
The DYSPLA_Touch experience was created using Microsoft Azure Kinect cameras, processed with Brekle software, and rendered in Unity. By employing volumetric technology primarily used in gaming, the project enables the portrayal of our actor in a new world where sight is not the primary focus.
These films aim to redefine how audiences engage with art, emphasizing narrative involvement and participatory experiences. The self-touch directives facilitate a physical engagement that evokes personal memories—both real and imagined—while challenging traditional notions of art appreciation.
This exploration of touch as an artistic pursuit encourages us to view our bodies not just as functional entities but as vessels of creativity and expression.
The first video titled "Why do we fold our hands when we pray?" discusses the subconscious gestures associated with prayer, highlighting how these actions can symbolize comfort and connection.
Section 1.1: The Power of Self-Touch
The experience of touch possesses transformative energy. It can heal, impart knowledge, and serve as a sacred form of communication.
In the prelude of DYSPLA_Touch, a passage invites participants to explore self-touch:
"Imagine touch as a dialogue with yourself. While touch is often seen as merely functional, it can also be an artistic exploration. Let’s begin by closing our eyes and grounding ourselves..."
This guided experience prompts participants to connect with their own bodies and the protagonist’s journey through tactile interaction.
Subsection 1.1.1: Engaging the Audience
The concept of audience participation is central to DYSPLA_Touch. Here, viewers are not mere observers but active participants, using their skin to forge a personal and emotional connection to the narrative.
Through the interplay of sound and touch, the experience encourages new interpretations and emotional responses, fostering a deeper understanding of the subject matter.
Chapter 2: Touch, Neurodiversity, and Access
Art's traditional limitations often exclude those who learn through touch. For neurodivergent individuals, like those with Dyslexia and ADHD, sensory engagement is crucial for connection and understanding.
As a neurodivergent person, I require various stimuli to fully engage with art. The experience becomes richer when all senses are involved, allowing for a more profound connection to the work.
Art institutions have a responsibility to diversify how audiences experience art, offering holistic approaches that stimulate all human senses, including touch, sound, and even intuition.
The challenges faced during the pandemic highlighted the need for art institutions to innovate and reconsider accessibility. Instead of merely adhering to traditional engagement models, galleries should embrace a "mixed sense" approach, fostering a more inclusive environment for all audiences.
The second video titled "Why do we close our eyes, clasp our hands and bow our heads when we pray?" delves into the rituals of prayer, examining how these actions foster a sense of community and reflection.
Conclusion: The Future of Art Engagement
DYSPLA_Touch exemplifies how integrating touch, poetry, and audience direction can reshape storytelling. By prioritizing tactile interaction over sight, the experience becomes accessible to visually impaired audiences, fostering a deeper connection to art.
This exploration invites audiences to engage on their own terms, merging their sensory experiences with narrative immersion. The project challenges the prevailing art conventions and aims to expand the boundaries of artistic engagement.
As Aristotle wisely noted, our senses stimulate one another, and by harnessing this interconnectedness, we can create a richer, more present experience in the realm of art.
DYSPLA_Touch represents a pioneering effort to redefine audience interaction with art, paving the way for a more inclusive future where touch enhances our understanding and appreciation of creative expression.