Daniel (Dan) J. Sandin: Neither Here Nor There

  • ©,

  • ©,

Artist(s):


Title:


    Neither Here Nor There

Exhibition:


Creation Year:


    1996

Category:


Artist Statement:


    Virtual reality creates envi­ronments where the meaning resides primarily in its immer­sive and interactive qualities. These interactive works en­gage the viewer in experiences that break the traditional boundaries of art, by actively involving participants in a series of visually compelling environments. They extend the traditional arts by encouraging the viewer to actively participate in the creative process.

    In this work, virtual reality becomes accessible to digital artists through the lmmersa­Desk, a projection-based, drafting-table-sized virtual reality system. The size and position of the screen give a sufficiently large wide-angle view that the viewer feels fully immersed in the visual scene. Head tracking allows the participant to experience a first-person view as opposed to the third-person view that is experienced with other visual media. The hand position is tracked by the “wand”, the main device with which participants can manipulate the scene. Additionally, the area around the desk is surrounded by a directional sound system.

    The physical installation of the lmmersaDesk creates an evocative setting for viewers to experience and participate in the worlds that unfold before them. It merges aesthetic and conceptual concerns with high- resolution display technology, network connectivity, and advanced visualization techniques. Moreover, participants at remote sites have the opportunity to explore the same worlds and interact with each other.

    Neither Here Nor There is a series of collaborative events utilizing advanced networking, software and hardware to interconnect the lmmersaDesk environ­ments in The Bridge: SIGGRAPH 96 Art Show, an lmmersadesk installed in the Digital Bayou, and a CAVE™ at the Ars Electronica Center in Linz, Austria. The title of this collaboration reflects the ethereal status of the cybercommunication in current society. It also characterizes the notion that while on a bridge you are between locations. It is a state of being that is time-based, where geographic location (space) is irrelevant.

    These virtual reality environments create a new form of communication that offers a presence not ever experienced in traditional forms of communication. By digitally connecting to other VR platforms, users experience the potential of networked interactivity. The use of interactive applications opens a window into the probable future of high-end telecommunications. The fusion of disciplines is the basis for this unique collaborative effort. In this model, technology and art collaborate to create highly interactive and immersive virtual environments.

Other Information:


    This was an on-screen exhibition organized by Dan Sandin.

    Participating Artists

    JIM BARR
    BOR-TYNG LIN
    KEITH BEU
    GARY LINDAHL
    JEFFERY BROOKS
    DEBRA LOWMAN-MELCHIONDA
    DREW BROWNING
    ERAN MILLER
    ORLANDO CARNATE
    ALAN MILLMAN
    TOM COFFIN
    DAVE PAPE
    ALAN CRUZ
    KYOUNG PARK
    MAREK CZERNUSZENKO
    SO YEN PARK
    GREG DAWE
    CLAIRE PRUCHER
    MARGARET DOLINSKY
    MAGGIE RAWLINGS
    TERRY FRANGUIADAKIS
    JOE REITZER
    ROBERT GRZESZCZUK
    MARIA ROUSSOS
    YUN-WEN HSU
    DAN SANDIN
    Ml LANA HUANG
    GRIT SEHMISCH
    JOE INSLEY
    VINCENT SHINE
    KA LEUNG JARK
    MARCUS THIEBAUX
    ANDREW JOHNSON
    BOVORNPOL THIENSIRI
    LOUIS KAUFFMAN
    SELENA TRAMAYNE
    JOHNNY LAWSON
    CHRISTINA A. VASILAKIS
    JASON LEIGH
    MARGARET WATSON