Paula Strunden
Meta.Morf 2024 – [up]Loaded Bodies / Kjøpmannsgata Ung Kunst / Conference April 19 / Curator: Zane Cerpina
Dancing in XR – Embodied Experiences in Extended Reality
This talk explores the intricacies of embodied spatial perception within the realm of extended reality (XR). Drawing from her Ph.D. research, Paula Strunden navigates the convergence of architecture, spatial computing, and human experience to challenge conventional notions of virtuality and embodiment. Beginning by examining the pioneering VR works by Brenda Laurel, Char Davies, and Rebecca Allen, Strunden underscores the foundational role of female artists in reshaping our understanding of virtual technologies. These artists developed techniques that allowed immersants to navigate virtual worlds intuitively, incorporating interfaces utilizing touch, breath, smell, and balance, in the early 1990s when the term ’embodied virtuality’ was coined.
Introducing the concept of performative 1:1 extended-reality models (XRMs), Strunden illustrates how XRMs offer multisensory experiences that blur traditional boundaries between the actual and the virtual. The talk culminates in an exploration of three prototypical XRMs: “Rhetorical Bodies,” “Infra-thin Magick,” and “Alison’s Room,” each providing unique insights into spatial perception in XR and demonstrating the transformative potential of XRMs in shaping our understanding of spatio-temporal dimensions, both real and virtual.
Focusing on the collaborative XR dance performance “Rhetorical Bodies,” Strunden elaborates on the process of how to combine full body tracking, interactive sounds, and soft body dynamics, to bridge two dancing bodies and translate their physical movements into expressive auditory experiences. Immersants transform into embodied synthesizers, catalyzing dynamic soundscapes with their actions and movements, encouraged to transcend conventional notions of virtuality and explore new forms of hybrid intimacy within the virtual domain. As immersants engage with “Rhetorical Bodies,” they are invited to challenge bodily boundaries, navigate identity fluidity, and explore the realm of their virtual selves. In this performative XRM, audience participation is pivotal, transforming the solitary VR experience into a participatory performance and captivating theatrical spectacle.
Finally, the audience is invited to imagine futures where virtual technologies enhance rather than diminish our connection to the physical world, emphasizing the importance of holistic and sustainable approaches to spatial design. By embracing embodied virtuality and fostering interdisciplinary collaboration, Strunden envisions a future where XR technology enriches our lived experiences and deepens our connection to the world around us.
Paula Strunden (DE) is a transdisciplinary XR artist with a background in architecture. She studied in Vienna, Paris, and London and worked at Raumlabor Berlin and Herzog & de Meuron Basel. Since 2020, she has been conducting her design-led Ph.D. as part of the Horizon 2020 European research network TACK at the Academy of Fine Arts Vienna. Her work specializes in embodied and multisensory virtuality, exploring the intersection of architecture, spatial computing, and human experience. Her performative XR installations have been exhibited at prestigious venues such as the Royal Academy of Arts London, Nieuwe Instituut Rotterdam, and Eye Filmmuseum Amsterdam, and nominated for the Dutch Film Award “Gouden Calf” in 2020 and 2023. Through her internet platform, www.xr-atlas.org, she advocates for interdisciplinary historiography of virtual technologies and furthers the recognition of female pioneers in the history of VR.
Header Photo: Tu Hoang performing ‘Rhetorical Bodies’ by Paula Strunden at MU Hybrid Art House, 2023 © Hanneke Wetzer.