A interactive AR/VR map that celebrates memories of individuals from across the world through interactive storytelling
The unique experience of meeting someone from a completely different cultural background inspired my collaborator, Mary Margaret, and me to create an interactive VR storytelling map that celebrates the beauty of our connection. We took an interdisciplinary approach, blending advanced AR/VR art with physical sculpture and laser-cutting techniques.
To begin, we sculpted a physical piece capturing our unity: our interlinked hands emerging from the earth, set against a laser-cut mountain range silhouette illuminated by celestial bodies. We then transitioned this into the digital realm using 3D scanning and enhanced its visuals in Procreate. The result is an exuberant landscape like a neon sign, referencing both major cities across the globe and the technological world through which we are all connecting.
Next, we launched a survey to collect visual, textual, and audio memories from people across the world. Out of the responses we received, we selected 28 and integrated them into a VR/AR map that I created on Co-Spaces. Each memory is depicted as a red dot on the map, and visitors can click on these dots to discover a wide range of personal stories from different parts of the globe.
To holistically present our artistic journey and final project, I built a project website on Wix.
The art piece reveals the power of merging old and new media to create more engaging and impactful storytelling. We received enthusiastic responses from our friends, saying they had tons of fun exploring one another's stories on an AR/VR interface.
The diverse skill sets my partner and I brought to this project made this creative exploration possible. First experience crafting sculptures using clay and molds, I was fascinated by how a physical object could elegantly embody the powerful concept of connection. Meanwhile, I utilized my digital skills to build an interactive website and create VR/AR interfaces using block coding, blending physical art with digital experiences.
This project also serves as an opportunity for me to value the connections I have in real life. Without the support and encouragement from friends who generously shared their memories with me, this project won’t be possible.