Uncertain Space, virtual reality instalation Exhibition in Torre de Ariz, Basauri, Basque Country 2025
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Photograph of user navigating trhough Uncertain Space by means of a gamepad and 3D glasses. Torre de Ariz, Basauri
Uncertain Space (USp) explores the paradox of presence in virtual reality. It exposes users to the uncertainty of feeling present in an environment they know is virtual and at the same time in a space they feel is physicaly tangible. It poses the questions:
What is what we perceive? What is the nature of reality?.
Images of the environments that configure the VR instalation Uncertain Space
It manifests an artistic interpretation of mankind’s understanding of reality. The observer’s perception of the temporal and spatial dimensions of the environment, created by the seeming mergence of physical and virtual spaces, varies with respect to their points of view. The subjective nature of these dimensions allows the observer to question the existence of a unique and objective reality.
In that respect, USp intertwines physical and virtual spaces to confront users with the uncertain nature of reality—what is what we perceive?—. This intertwining emerges by means of mapping digital karst landforms—such as sinkholes and chimneys—onto the physical flat screen.
I chose to work with karst landforms because of their rich ecosystems which harbor biotopes with unique biotic and abiotic characteristics. These biotopes include subterranean hidden forests and rare sculptured speleothems—such as helictites that defy gravity—that, because of their uncertain genesis, are still under exploration and not fully understood. Thus, the dimensions of the topographic surface and subsurface features—such as fissures and cavities— of karst landforms are inherently ambiguous, which allowed me to seemingly merge the physical and virtual dimensions into a hybrid landscape. I created a labyrinth-like structure with sinkholes and chasms that initially appear to be flat. However, these features gain dimensions, and thus volume, as users approach them.
These sinkholes tempt users to peep into their mysterious dimensions which are inhabited by what appear to be shadows. When users enter the sinkhole, the temporal and spatial properties of their surrounding environment are transformed. The shadows take volume becoming 3D animated shapes with color and texture in response to users' presence while the sinkholes start ‘breathing’—the walls are animated so as to appear narrow at first and then expand with sinusoidally varying amplitudes —displaying spatialized sounds—e.g. wind flows and dripping water—and unveiling chasms and new sinkholes. The dynamic nature of the spatial dimensions’ properties is tethered to a notion of time which varies with the navigational speed.
Video of user navigating trhough Uncertain Space with 3D glasses and gamepad. Torre de Ariz exhibition, Basauri
Real time stereoscopic video recordings from screen, side by side left and right eye.
VISUAL DISPLAY
Uncertain Space was initially created for the five-projection CAVE virtual reality system at the Polytechnic University of Madrid, CEDINT. It can be adapted to different display systems using more than one screen.
For the exhibition in the Torre de Ariz hall it is displayed using a frontal stereoscopic interactive rear projection. User can navigate through the virtual environment using 3D glasses and a gamepad.
Photographs of Uncertain Space in the CAVE system, Polytechnic University of Madrid, CEDINT.
Virtual Reality systems have unique visual and tracking interfaces that can make physical spaces appear to merge with virtual ones. The stereoscopic projections act as membranes through which virtual objects are able to exit the virtual world and enter physical spaces. The navigational tracking system allows users to go through the projections virtually while physically remaining within its confines. This creates interesting paradoxes between the physical and virtual dimensions.
Collaborators:
Grupo de Realidad Virtual, Centro de I+D+i (CEDINT), Universidad Politécnica de Madrid: soporte programación, y configuración para la versión en el sistema CAVE.
Enrike Hurtado: espacio sonoro.
Juan Crego: soporte técnico montaje instalación y cesión de pantalla.
Tabatha Lewis: programación adicional.
Pablo Ferrer: animación inicial Craking Wall.
Acknowledgments:
Proyecto desarrollado con soporte de la Fundación para la Ciencia y la Tecnología (FCT), Portugal SFRH/BSAB/143103/2018.
