Hiper Carnaval

Gabriel Goncalves

HiperCarnaval is a virtual reality experience that imagines an alternative future for our digital selves: one inspired by the rhythms, colors, and spirit of Carnaval.

http://hipercarnaval.com/

Description

HiperCarnaval chronicles how I’ve found my artistic voice by creating a VR studio while having Carnaval as my inspiration. It started with the question “where does creativity happen” and “what makes for an inspiring environment” in VR and grew up naturally into a journey of self-discovery. As I created the tools to immerse myself on my own creations, I’ve found parallels between the embodiment of VR and the roots of Carnaval culture.

As my collection of references and 3D creations grew, I’ve felt that browsing through file icons and static images on a 2D interface were not giving me a full picture of my research and weren’t reflecting the multi-media VR nature of these objects. I was looking for ways to be with these characters; dance and sing with them; be inspired by my virtual environments. Then it hit me: As the project developed, I figured out that what I looking for was a Carnaval party.
The culture of my home country Brazil was starting to resonate with the original research on “what makes for a truly creative environment” until I realized that what I was creating was a Carnaval Party with my own identity. My design choices were reflecting urges in my understanding of my own culture and my interest in virtual reality; making parallels between Carnaval and Virtuality more apparent as I became immersed in my own research on immersion itself.
Carnaval is a social virtual environment that happens on specific moments where everybody can become avatars of their own creation. It is a hand-crafted reality shared by a community under the rhythm of drums and dance. The realization that I had a “Virtual Reality” system already embedded deep in my cultural identity was a revelation that is still growing on me; I’ve become the answer to my own question on the inspiring power of VR. By sharing this personal experience I look forward to inspiring an alternative vision for VR as a path toward self-discovery and empowered creativity. A shared virtual Carnaval party: a HiperCarnaval

Classes

Thesis