Event Production · Interactive Installation
Venice VR Expanded
Years
2020 – 2021
Venue
Portland Art Museum
& Northwest Film Center
Role
Lead Technician
& Installation Artist
Scale
45 headsets
1,000+ demos
15-person team
Overview
Portland, Oregon’s Satellite Exhibition of the Venice VR Festival. In 2020 and 2021, alongside Joshua Young and Nisha Burton of Reflective Brands, I was responsible for organizing and procuring top-tier VR technology. Despite the challenges posed by the pandemic, we successfully provided over 1,000 demos — ensuring a smooth and safe experience for attendees trying VR for the very first time.
Execution
Designing the run of show demanded an intricate understanding of both the VR hardware and software. As the lead, I trained and guided a 15-person team through facilitating the interaction between attendees and technology. Operating a fleet of 45 headsets for 7 hours a day presented constant friction points — consumer VR hardware simply isn’t built for that kind of sustained throughput. We overcame hurdle after hurdle with a calm and collected approach.
XRXP Installation
In addition to running the event, I presented an interactive artwork during the exhibition. Titled XRXP, the piece was a projected interactive installation that greeted attendees as they entered the venue — bridging the physical and virtual before they ever put on a headset.
“For the first time in its 125-year history, La Biennale di Venezia is offering its programming both online and at select venues around the globe — Venice VR Expanded 2020, offering access to 39 immersive VR projects from 24 countries through virtual reality headsets in satellite installations.”
Portland Art Museum