From painting to virtual reality: artist Naima Karim has long painted her worlds on canvas. Based on her own story, THE ANTICIPATION OF RAIN is a first drawn VR experience – but this time in 3D – supported by the Creative Solutions program of the King Abdulaziz Center for World Culture (Ithra) in Saudi Arabia. A work, selected this year for Stereopsia’s Crystal Owls awards and exhibited at IDFA, which should evolve into a 6DOF version. We met with its author Naima Karim to talk about this intimate project around… rain!
THE ANTICIPATION OF RAIN: A Painter in VR
Naima Karim – Originally I am a painter, and an artist dedicated to the sky! I am inspired by birds, clouds, seasons… to paint. I was inspired by rain, especially the heavy rains that exist in my native country, Bangladesh: monsoon rains. It’s something to experience, really. Monsoon rains are as dramatic as they are exciting, with lots of water and wind, very violent storms. Living in Saudi Arabia or the Netherlands, I missed this feeling. This is what I wanted to recreate with THE ANTICIPATION OF RAIN, and move from 2D art to a more immersive installation.
N. K. – So I participated in this call for projects from Ithra (the King Abdulaziz Center for World Culture, in Saudi Arabia), which did not require any technical expertise. I was lucky enough to be one of the 30 selected projects, and to be able to discover virtual and augmented reality… It opened my eyes to the possibilities of the technology, but also allowed me to build the pitch of my project, to defend a prototype, and to meet mentors. I learned a lot, at a time in my life when I had to relearn the techniques of creation, new media … Finally, I ended up in the 5 projects funded in production!
Creative Workshop at Ithra
N. K. – Ithra really accompanied me on the production of a first version of the project, and I was finally awarded the program in 2022. THE ANTICIPATION OF RAIN was later exhibited in an exhibition, with a mapping version without the narration of the VR version. I wanted to keep the real experience for the headsets! But it is on this occasion that we had the idea to add smells, to increase the relationship with the rain, the storm.
N. K. – Rain is a very strong narrative element. I’ve discussed the experience with several viewers, and each time the rain brings people back to memories, to moments in their lives. Whether they are scared or fascinated by it! But there are exciting stories to develop from these moments… It can be very romantic in a way.
N. K. – I wanted to share the environment I experienced in Bangladesh, my art and my view of nature as it evolves in these moments. There is an aggressive and surprising element that particularly illustrates climate disruption. And it is a story that is very personal to me, because I lived it partly paralyzed. It was a very dark time in my life, but I struggled to keep optimism, hope, and positivity at the core of my daily life. VR is a way to pass that on to new generations.
Learn the technique of 3D drawing
N. K. – Of course I wanted to keep my own graphic style, my way of painting. And the movement! Keeping the dynamics of the brushstroke, thanks to the 3D tools, is fascinating. It’s also a way for me to continue to work on my technique, and to push a little further those great strokes that characterise me (I learned OpenBrush in 15 days!). In classical painting, I have to work in depth because it remains a 2D image. It is logically facilitated in 3D where the work itself is created with depth intentions. You can show right away the different layers of creation, etc. And I have a new relationship with my audience in VR.
N. K. – We are now working on a real 6DOF version, an installation (presented at the IDFA Forum). That was the original goal, although we’re happy to be able to offer this prototype in VR film. I really want the audience to be able to physically walk through this environment. We have to move forward according to the budget, the deadlines… I observe the reactions of the public in free roaming, under the helmets, it is exciting! I would like to be able to offer more to immerse the public. We are discussing whether it could also be interactive to reinforce the emotion. Can the drawing guide the audience? These are things we are exploring.
N. K. – I don’t draw things that are too realistic. It’s because I like the audience to give some space to use their imagination. I use long strokes and this is the style I use both in my paintings on a canvas and in 3D assets. Everyone can see what they want in my paintings or The Anticipation of Rain. I want to continue to create in different formats.
To continue: “Our main focus is to explore the art of reality” – Caspar Sonnen (IDFA DocLab)
