Artists Statement

Presented outside K11 at the opening of the ISEA2016 Residency Programme Exhibition

Awkward Consequence is a massive VR performance. It consists of individual experiences in a collective space. A live music performance attended that unfolds in a simultaneous virtual and actual experience.
The performance offers a sequential experience inside VR that resembles a journey. Starting from traditional “classic” VR imagery, through the introduction of elements that seemingly defy the physical reality, participants are exposed to a new, awkward and uncanny space. The journey lasts for about fifteen minutes. The music is played in real time and it influences the VR world, creating an immersive multimedia experience.
Originally inspired by the work of Paul Virilio, Awkward Consequence’s proposal appears contradictory: every participant shares an individual experience. The performance explores and stretches the notions of performance and place, existing in the simultaneous attending of an personal, unique, and private event.

Implementation
Awkward Consequence uses the participants mobile phones together with Google cardboard-like viewers to experience its VR world. The app is built with Unity3D, with the 3D models and pre-rendered sequences done with 3DStudio.
We created a local WiFi network that allows 100+ simultaneous users. Although the app pre-downloads the content, the performance is orchestrated by a server written in C++ using OpenFrameworks.  laurenzo.net/awkward-consequence

Video: Awkward Consequence at ISEA2016

• Tomas Laurenzo (Uruguay/HK), PhD is an artist, computer scientist, and academic working with both physical and digital media exploring the artistic construction of meaning and its relation with power and politics. Laurenzo’s production spans across different practices, including installation, interactive art, music, live cinema, and digital lutherie. His artworks and performances have been shown globally. He is Assistant Professor at the School of Creative Media of the City University of Hong Kong. He has published mainly in the areas of New Media Art, and HCI. laurenzo.net
• Tobias Klein works in the fields of Architecture, Art, Design and interactive Media Installation. His work generates a syncretism of contemporary CAD/CAM technologies with site and culturally specific design narratives, intuitive non-linear design processes, and historical cultural references. Before joining the City University of Hong Kong in the role as interdisciplinary Assistant Professor in the School of Creative Media and the architectural department, he was employed at the Architectural Association (2008-2014) and the Royal College of Art, (2007-2010), in both cases in the postgraduate level. kleintobias.com
• Christian Clark is a computer engineer working on new media art, interaction design, aesthetics, and interaction in pubic settings. Based in Uruguay, he is a member of Bondi, an interaction design collective, as well as Assistant Professor at the Laboratorio de Medios, Facultad de Ingeniería, Universidad de la República. Clark, who holds a MSc in Computer Science, currently directs Shaman, a software development studio. clark.uy