Venice Immersive: A new frontier in storytelling
A unique celebration of immersive art
Now in its eighth edition, Venice Immersive has firmly established itself as a vital part of the greater Biennale family. This event, held on its own dedicated island, has become a prestigious rendezvous for new media enthusiasts, rivaling the parent film festival in significance. The immersive medium, however, remains a dynamic and ever-evolving art form.
A new language of expression
“These artists are creating a totally new language,” says Venice Immersive co-curator Michel Reilhac. “They’re making the invisible now visible, finding a new way to express emotions that isn’t as literal or as limited as in other art forms.” This sentiment captures the essence of the immersive experience, which is constantly reshaped by the influx of established artists seeking new challenges and the fluctuating market that has yet to find a scalable distribution model.
Stability amidst the flux
While tech giants like Meta and HTC come and go, leading to boom and bust cycles, Venice Immersive has managed to set down roots. The event benefits from wider institutional support, fostering a stable community of creators who return year after year. This promise of a safe haven and stability has, in turn, helped the overall art form advance.
“We now see VR entering a more mature stage of development,” Reilhac notes. “Works from this year’s selection no longer try to display technological bravery or virtuosity but truly use the technology to tell incredibly moving stories that trigger emotional and spiritual connections. Artists are less infatuated with the technology itself and more interested in the potential for empathy.”
The evolution of immersive storytelling
This year, the 63 projects selected for Venice Immersive showcase a trend towards large-scale installations that incorporate sets, physical props, and live performances. This shift is partly a response to the challenging distribution landscape for projects that deviate from gameplay within dominant online marketplaces. However, this physical emphasis has also nourished artistic inspiration, with many creators now using these tools to link body and soul.
Premiering at this year’s Venice Immersive competition are projects like Impulse: Playing With Reality by Barry Gene Murphy and May Abdalla, Mammary Mountain by Tara Baoth Mooney, Camille C. Baker, and Maf’j Alvarez, and Ceci Est Mon Coeur (French for “Here Is My Heart”) by Stephane Hueber-Blies and Nicolas Blies. These projects use XR’s capacity for physical embodiment to explore themes of neurodivergence, breast cancer, and childhood abuse.
“These are all projects about bodily trauma,” Reilhac explains. “But none of them treated a potentially difficult and austere subject with a pedagogical style. Each one used visual and narrative experimentation to lend the subject a poetic dimension. And this year, we’ve seen immersive tools reach a point where artists can transcend technology to reach poetry.”
The future of immersive art
“We’re barely a decade into this new art form,” says co-curator Liz Rosenthal. “And within a medium that’s evolving so fast, creators must remain curious, brave, driven, and passionate. The unstable market presents a real challenge, with relatively few avenues to distribute this work.”
“This is all built on a material basis,” Rosenthal continues. “Headsets like Apple’s Vision Pro are moving fast, and so is the technology. In a way, I’m more surprised that the medium hasn’t evolved even further. But that’s what fuels our passion. It takes time for new methods to be codified into policy and recognized as art forms – and that’s what our Venice Immersive island is for.”
“We are here to celebrate the art that comes from technology,” she concludes. “And to make sure that art sees support.”
Personal reflections
As a cinema, TV series, and music enthusiast, the evolution of immersive storytelling is nothing short of fascinating. The ability to physically embody a narrative and explore complex themes through XR technology opens up new dimensions of empathy and understanding. The projects showcased at Venice Immersive are not just technological marvels; they are profound artistic expressions that challenge our perceptions and evoke deep emotional responses.
For those interested in exploring these groundbreaking works, I highly recommend checking out the trailers and information pages for Impulse: Playing With Reality, Mammary Mountain, and Ceci Est Mon Coeur. These projects exemplify the potential of immersive art to transcend traditional storytelling and create truly transformative experiences.
In a world where technology and art are increasingly intertwined, Venice Immersive stands as a beacon of innovation and creativity. It is a testament to the power of human imagination and the endless possibilities that lie ahead in the realm of immersive storytelling.