As an artist and physicist Nicole works at the intersection of art, perception and science, striving to facilitate the integration of science & technology into art.
We met with Nicole C. Strasser in Geneva during the last Geneva GIFF (and Digital Market) where she was pitching her upcoming XR piece DANS DRAUGANNA – already supported by FFF Bayern and Mitteldeutsche Medienförderung (MDM) with Reynard Films in Germany. It went through Stereopsia’s Booster and NewImages Market in 2022.
Cover: HYPERREALITY – FIRST ENCOUNTER (link)
Discovering the immersive field
Nicole C. Strasser – I have a university degree in physics, which has no particular link with virtual reality creation. But I had a deep aspiration to express myself artistically. That’s why, after my degree, I started to study art and new techniques. It was by participating in the European Creators’ Lab (EUCL) organized by Astrid Kahmke that I could see the potential of immersive technologies. And I started without having seen a single piece in VR!
N. C. S. – The Lab was a great opportunity to meet the European and international XR scene, festival programmers, creators… The level was actually very high, and it allowed me to quickly acquire the necessary knowledge to apprehend these tools and virtual universes. It was love at first sight! I was very lucky to be able to talk to the people at the Lab and discover their projects.
N. C. S. – That’s when I realized that my studies in physics could inspire me for XR projects. If I could combine these two fields of exploration, in the same search for the use of space, it’s fascinating! So I continued my studies in Master, focusing on visualization in VR – especially in cosmology and the theory of general relativity (especially the curve of space). It makes sense to use virtual reality to observe such environments, black holes for example. The freedom that VR provides in these moments is essential to better understand these events.
Building 3D Environments and Experiences
N. C. S. – I am a big consumer of media: video games, cinema, theater… but I also try to feed myself with literature, poetry, and any form of artistic sources to realize my experiments. It is above all a question of imagination. When you read a book, you concentrate and you can go further in what you can create personally. I love discovering new worlds, new creative environments… Obviously the experience of theater or dance offers an unprecedented encounter with physical performance, the stage. And for me, these are relevant meeting points with virtual reality creation. More than cinema, no doubt.
N. C. S. – During my studies, I pushed my research on the construction of 3D environments for virtual reality, and since then I have always linked my artistic projects on a scientific basis. One obviously thinks of Eliza McNitt’s SPHERES which visits the same subjects. Because it is exciting: VR provides a real emotion, a direct relationship with the user, in vast cosmic landscapes. There is an undeniable impact that a “flat” screen cannot provide.
N. C. S. – My advantage, after having learnt all these 3D creations, is to be able to prototype with a certain autonomy. I mastered some of the code and software needed for that, and that’s a chance too. It allows me to move forward quite quickly, to put my ideas on paper or give them a first shape. As an author, I write and realize my projects – but not only!
N. C. S. – HYPERREALITY – FIRST ENCOUNTER is an installation using motion capture, dancers and a live performance. I wanted to connect with an audience and real reactions! Theater is a big inspiration, with my experimental approach to the subject. This was a project where I learned a lot about assimilating virtual reality within a more global, real experience.
Live Performance: Where to Meet With an Audience
N. C. S. – We see the public as heterogeneous. You have to know how to guide them, with very diverse profiles. Some want a lot of freedom to explore the installation themselves others need more guidance: there is no system to set up. Especially when you work with performers, dancers, live. Where to place yourself, what distance to keep, what interaction to propose? We experiment at every stage, and this is undoubtedly one of the points of evolution for my next projects like IN DRAUGANNA. And I want the audience to actively participate (in this case, dance)!
N. C. S. – The interaction is to be defined, depending on the project. With HYPERREALITY, we built a multi-media installation on stage to offer a work where VR is not essential. You can watch the show without necessarily going under a headset. And surprisingly, some people stayed for a very long time watching what was going on! Offering both views was interesting, and that’s where the experimentation happened for me. Trying to understand the different approaches, not necessarily limiting ourselves to the VR aspect… It’s also a desire to open up our experiences to a wider audience!
N. C. S. – DANS DRAUGANNA is in development, and we are finalizing a prototype to accompany our fundraising. I am currently working on the visual aspect of this prototype, hoping to start production in 2023. Going to pitch the project in different European markets has been formative, and I have been able to meet many people – or other creators, of the works to come. Discussions continue to finalize the financial set-up of the project.
