AI Weiwei will present his first work created in virtual reality
ARTinvestment.RU   27 января 2020

After moving to the UK well-known contemporary artist and activist from China turned to a new kind of art

After nearly 10 years of living in Germany, where he moved from China in 2011, fleeing political repression, AI Weiwei is now in its fourth month living in the UK. In his interview the newspaper The Guardian, he recounts the reasons for the move, noting separately that he was not close to the German mentality: "I don't like the state or the culture, which obey the authorities... Germany is very organised society, people in which love the comfort of oppression. As in China". The artist believes that in this society there is no place for individuality. In addition, he believes that the UK will be able to provide his family better conditions, and his son — with the best education.

Being in a new country, he has not changed the main focus of its activities, and is again ready to share with the world your thoughts about the social imperfection of our society, using the latest technology.

on 30 January in London, the audience will be presented with the first draft of AI Weiwei, made in virtual reality, — twofold VR-произведение Omni. The project is based on two videos taken from 360-градусной technology of virtual reality and is dedicated to the problems of refugees and life in exile. To watch a movie through a special headset that delivers immersive. Video shot in collaboration with Acute Art, specializing in work with artists of video art and augmented reality.

the First film focused on the life remaining without work timber elephants in Myanmar: when-то these animals are managed by coaches-погонщиками, carried logs out of the jungle. Now the government has imposed severe restrictions on this kind of activity, and the animals become superfluous. "When we took them, — says AI Weiwei, — elephants just didn't know what to do."

the Second part of the project immerses the viewer in the realities of the lives of Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh camps for immigrants Cox's Bazaar. With the help of new technologies you can observe the daily activities of migrants and even "walk" through the camp from the residential tents to the markets and playgrounds. AI Weiwei separately, notes that do not aim to show only the negative side and the harsh conditions of life in exile: "I don't want to show that here there is only sadness. Happiness and sadness always exist together. And it's — reason to protect that happiness."

the Omni Project we can already see online. For 360 degrees, the viewer will need a mobile phone and installed in it the video-sharing app. The effect of 360 degrees can be achieved when turning the phone (or clicking on the arrows in the corner of the video).

the Material was prepared by Maria Kuznetsova, AI

Source: theguardian.com