The Metaverse has become a synonym for the fusion of physical and digital environments, yet opinions and predictions vary widely. For some, the Metaverse continues a long tradition in media of creating illusory and fantastical realities; for others, it aspires to be the "next medium" following smartphones and mobile computing. However, in its technical implementation, it remains a prototype.
The exhibition "After the Metaverse" addresses the question of whether the Metaverse is a repeat of the past, the current reality, or merely a promise for the future. This is done through interpretations and findings from explorations into hybrid, interactive environments. The approach to the Metaverse phenomenon is negotiated in terms of artistic research by demonstrating its concrete manifestations.
The exhibition features five positions from the realms of art, scenography, product, and communication design. Illustrator Josephine Rais visualizes the intertwining of digital and physical spaces. Artist Nadja Buttendorf's online library offers alternative designs for digital bodies in virtual spaces. Along with Johannes Bauer, Teresa Häußler, and Ludwig Stengel, Lydia Kähny illustrates aesthetic phenomena of the Metaverse in scenographic settings and video sequences.
At the opening of the exhibition, the "Metaverse" interviews will feature discussions with experienced professionals about digital practices in designing, theatre, planning, and curating. These discussions will address the increasing intertwining of physical and digital spaces: What narrative and scenographic strategies are required for theatre in digital spaces? What new design possibilities are opened up by Virtual Reality? How do 4D images change the physical experience of architecture? What curatorial concepts link digital and physical exhibition spaces?
The exhibition is created at the State College of Design Karlsruhe, as part of the DFG priority program "The Digital Image" in the project "Adaptive Images. Technology and Aesthetics of Situational Imaging."
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Exhibition »After the Metaverse«
Lydia Kähny
mit
Johannes Bauer
Nadja Buttendorf
Teresa Häußler
Josephine Rais
Ludwig Stengel
Research group »Adaptive Bilder«
Matthias Bruhn
Katrin Friedrich
Lydia Kähny
Moritz Queisner
Grafic
Vincent Becher
Luis Rüttiger